A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Magowans
In the city directories 1940 · four people at three addresses
The directories print four people named Magowan at three addresses in 1940 in three of the city's neighbourhoods. 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 Magowans lived
- 1
3451 Cambridge Street
Hastings-Sunrise, 1940
- R Magowan, a dairyman at East End Dairy 1940
Next door in 1940: T J Garrick at 3421 and T Furneaux at 3459. The block, door by door
- 2
728 East 54th Avenue
Sunset, 1940
- G R Magowan, a mechanic at Marine Garage 1940
Next door in 1940: H Syvot at 734. The block, door by door
- 3
6591 Victoria Drive
Victoria-Fraserview, 1940
- Mrs E Magowan, widow of H 1940
- John Magowan, a salesman for H Magowan 1940
Next door in 1940: S Hooper at 6525. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for three of the four: a dairyman, a mechanic and a salesman. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Hastings-Sunrise, Sunset and Victoria-Fraserview. 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 R Magowan at 3451 Cambridge Street; 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, where each person's work is printed, lists Ray Magowan there as the householder, a dairyman at East End Dairy. In 1940 the directory lists G R Magowan at 728 East 54th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Gerald R Magowan there as the householder, a mechanic at Marine Garage.
In 1940 the directory lists Mrs E Magowan, a grocer, at 6591 Victoria Drive; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Elizabeth Magowan there, widow of H, with John Magowan, a salesman for H Magowan.
Today
728 East 54th (1968) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 3451 Cambridge and 6591 Victoria Drive, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 7 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Magowan R3451 Cambridge, p. 25
- Magowan Ray dairymn East End Dairy3451 Cambridge, p. 404
- *Magowan G R728 East 54th, p. 267
- Magowan Gerald R mech Marine Gar728 East 54th, p. 404
- *Magowan Mrs E gro6591 Victoria Drive, p. 163
- Magowan Eliz wid H gro6591 Victoria Drive, p. 404
- Magowan John slsmn H Magowan6591 Victoria Drive, p. 404
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Magowans
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Magowan 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 M. Want a name removed? Tell us.