A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Kos
In the city directories 1940 · four people at four addresses
The directories print four people named Ko at four addresses in 1940 in three of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling Koo. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family.
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 Kos lived
- 1
137 East Pender Street
Downtown, 1940
- Sing Ko, proprietor of Mon Fa Printers 1940
Next door in 1940: Kwong Yee Lung Co at 135 and Ah Chew Rooms at 139. The block, door by door
- 2
270 Keefer Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Kai Ko 1940
Next door in 1940: S Wah at 266 and H Pryor at 278. The block, door by door
- 3
734 Keefer Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Jim Koo 1940
Next door in 1940: W H Lee at 730 and S Isoshima at 742. The block, door by door
- 4
2171 West 41st Avenue
Kerrisdale, 1940
- Name Koo, a manager for J B Hoy 1940
Next door in 1940: Safeway Stores at 2159. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for two of the four: a manager and a proprietor.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Strathcona (2), Downtown and Kerrisdale. 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
The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Sing Ko at 137 East Pender Street, proprietor of Mon Fa Printers. Kai Ko is listed at 270 Keefer Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Kai Ko there as the householder.
Jim Koo is listed at 734 Keefer Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Jim Koo there as the householder. The 1940 name section lists Name Koo at 2171 West 41st Avenue, a manager for J B Hoy.
Today
2171 West 41st (2003) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 137 East Pender, 270 Keefer and 734 Keefer, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 6 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Ko Sing prop Mon Fa Prntrs137 East Pender, p. 329
- Ko Kai270 Keefer, p. 93
- Ko Kai270 Keefer, p. 329
- Koo Jim734 Keefer, p. 94
- Koo Jim734 Keefer, p. 330
- Koo Name mgr J B Hoy2171 West 41st, p. 330
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, name section, where each person's work is printed
The book of the Kos
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Ko 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.