A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Kwans
In the city directories 1940 · eight people at five addresses
The directories print eight people named Kwan at five addresses in 1940 in four of the city's neighbourhoods. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: four Kwans at 1708 Charles in 1940.
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 Kwans lived
- 1
1708 Charles Street
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- Miss G Kwan 1940
- Gladys Kwan, a saleswoman at Commercial Fruit Market 1940
- Grace Kwan 1940
- Sam Kwan 1940
Next door in 1940: K Nakanishi at 1704 and J Peters at 1716. The block, door by door
- 2
997 Dunsmuir Street
Downtown, 1940
- Laura Kwan, a physician instructor at the BC Government 1940
Next door in 1940: Elks Club at 901. The block, door by door
- 3
611 East Hastings Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Jim Kwan 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs C Iwamoto at 609 and East End Taxi at 613. The block, door by door
- 4
218 Keefer Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Ray Kwan, a manager at Parkview Greenhouse Vancouver and Parkview Fruit Co 1940
Next door in 1940: Shee Chan at 216 and Keefer Rooms at 222. The block, door by door
- 5
3205 West 12th Avenue
Kitsilano, 1940
- A M Kwan, a manager at American Products Co and a president at North Arm Distributor 1940
Next door in 1940: J W Crane at 3215. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for four of the eight: a manager (2), a physician instructor and a saleswoman.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Strathcona (2), Downtown, Grandview-Woodland and Kitsilano. 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 Miss G Kwan at 1708 Charles Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Gladys Kwan there as the householder, a saleswoman at Commercial Fruit Market, with Grace Kwan and Sam Kwan. The 1940 name section lists Laura Kwan at 997 Dunsmuir Street, a physician instructor at the BC Government. The 1940 name section lists Jim Kwan at 611 East Hastings Street.
The 1940 name section lists Ray Kwan at 218 Keefer Street, a manager at Parkview Greenhouse Vancouver and Parkview Fruit Co. A M Kwan is listed at 3205 West 12th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked *: some member of the family owns the property, to the best of our knowledge (the directory's own mark). The 1940 name section lists Arthur M Kwan there as the householder, a manager at American Products Co and a president at North Arm Distributor.
Today
1708 Charles and 3205 West 12th still have their buildings from before 1946; the City no longer lists 997 Dunsmuir, 611 East Hastings and 218 Keefer, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 9 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Kwan Miss G1708 Charles, p. 29
- Kwan Gladys slswm Coml Fruit Mkt1708 Charles, p. 332
- Kwan Grace1708 Charles, p. 332
- Kwan Sam1708 Charles, p. 332
- Kwan Laura phys instr BC Govt997 Dunsmuir, p. 332
- Kwan Jim611 East Hastings, p. 332
- Kwan Ray mgr Parkview Greenhouse Vancouver and Parkview Fruit Co218 Keefer, p. 332
- *Kwan A M3205 West 12th, p. 209
- Kwan Arth M mgr Am Prod Co and pres North Arm Distrib3205 West 12th, p. 332
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Kwans
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Kwan 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.