A family name on Robson Street, West End and Downtown
The Kerrs
In the city directories 1940 · four people at three addresses
The directories print four people named Kerr at three addresses in 1940, all on Robson Street, with the close spelling Ker. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The directories print the name on 95 other streets too, all listed on the Kerr name's own page.
Reserve this family's book, freeThe name in every directory we hold from 1901 to 1945, at every address, each line with its page, to read here or save as a PDF. About $29 when orders open.
Where the Kerrs lived
- 1
915 Robson Street
Downtown, 1940
- M M Kerr, retired 1940
Next door in 1940: Morgan & Paris at 911 and Arts Richmond at 919. The block, door by door
- 2
1717 Robson Street
West End, 1940
- J Kerr, a conductor at the BC Electric Railway 1940
- Mrs Margaret Kerr, proprietor of Coffee Bar 1940
Next door in 1940: C E Keefer at 1715 and G Lee at 1721. The block, door by door
- 3
1973 Robson Street
West End, 1940
- Christine W Kerr, a saleswoman at the BC Electric Railway 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs S C Robertson at 1951. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for three of the four: a conductor, a proprietor and a saleswoman. Two of them worked for BC Electric Railway.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in West End (2) and Downtown. Each neighbourhood's page shows its trades, its people and every street in it, the way the directory printed them.
The story, address by address
In 1940 the directory lists M M Kerr at 915 Robson Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Math M Kerr there as the householder, retired. The 1940 name section lists J Kerr at 1717 Robson Street, a conductor at the BC Electric Railway, with Mrs Margaret Kerr, proprietor of Coffee Bar. The 1940 name section lists Christine W Kerr at 1973 Robson Street, a saleswoman at the BC Electric Railway.
Today
The City no longer lists 915 Robson, 1717 Robson and 1973 Robson, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 5 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Kerr M M915 Robson, p. 143
- Kerr Math M retired915 Robson, p. 321
- Kerr J cond BCER1717 Robson, p. 321
- Kerr Mrs Margt prop Coffee Bar1717 Robson, p. 321
- Kerr Christine W slswm BCER1973 Robson, p. 320
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Kerrs
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Kerr name in each Vancouver directory we hold from 1901 to 1945: everyone printed under it at every address, their work from the name sections, who lived next door, and the page behind every line, to read here or save as a PDF to print or give.
We're opening orders soon. Join the list to be first in line; we expect about $29 a family.
Another name, or a house
Sources
Henderson's and successor city directories for Vancouver, read by us line by line: the street sections for 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1940 and 1945, and the name section for 1930 and 1940 where we've read it (Vancouver Public Library, BC City Directories). Names are shown through 1945, as printed. Close spellings are grouped, as on the house pages, since a family's name was often spelled differently from one year to the next; one name can still be several families, and we join lines only where the first names or initials agree. Many Chinese, Japanese and other residents weren't named by the canvassers, so they can't be listed by name: their houses' pages say where. More family names under K. Want a name removed? Tell us.