A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Mairs
In the city directories 1940 · 15 people at ten addresses
The directories print 15 people named Mair at ten addresses in 1940 in seven 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 Mairs at 3317 West 3rd 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 Mairs lived
- 1
2142 East 1st Avenue
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- R J Mair, retired 1940
Next door in 1940: E W J Lambert at 2136 and L T Long at 2154. The block, door by door
- 2
2118 East 32nd Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- W J Mair, a laborer 1940
Next door in 1940: H Otley at 2106 and Mrs A Sully at 2122. The block, door by door
- 3
2268 East 38th Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- R D Mair, a helper at BC Fir 1940
- Elizabeth M Mair, an operator at the BC Telephone 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs A Kelly at 2258 and C C R Hunter at 2284. The block, door by door
- 4
2274 East 8th Avenue
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- R J Mair, a watch repairer at Shores 1940
Next door in 1940: W W Young at 2252 and J J Cleal at 2282. The block, door by door
- 5
1212 Granville Street
Downtown, 1940
- Christina Mair, a stenographer 1940
Next door in 1940: Apex Furn at 1210 and Baggage City at 1214. The block, door by door
- 6
5662 Laburnum Street
Shaughnessy, 1940
- Mrs B Mair, widow of L E 1940
Next door in 1940: N G B Burley at 5638. The block, door by door
- 7
6389 McCleery Street
Kerrisdale, 1940
- K F R Mair, a manager at Davies Paper Box 1940
Next door in 1940: P P Henson at 6369. The block, door by door
- 8
3406 West 2nd Avenue
Kitsilano, 1940
- D J Mair, a branch manager at the Bank of Nova Scotia 1940
- John D Mair, a student at UBC 1940
Next door in 1940: E L Peel at 3400 and W Shattock at 3412. The block, door by door
- 9
2249 West 36th Avenue
Arbutus Ridge, 1940
- W H Mair, a machinist 1940
Next door in 1940: N L Donnelly at 2229 and F G Pinder at 2269. The block, door by door
- 10
3317 West 3rd Avenue
Kitsilano, 1940
- H Mair, proprietor of Superior Curtain & Dry Cleaners 1940
- Audrey Mair, an assistant at Superior Curtain & Dry Cleaners 1940
- Oliven M Mair 1940
- Viola Mair 1940
Next door in 1940: W B Currie at 3311 and G T H Bull at 3323. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for ten of the 15: an assistant, a branch manager, a helper, a laborer, a machinist and a manager, among others. Two of them worked for Superior Curtain & Dry Cleaners. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Grandview-Woodland (2), Kensington-Cedar Cottage (2), Kitsilano (2), Arbutus Ridge, Downtown, Kerrisdale and Shaughnessy. 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 J Mair at 2142 East 1st Avenue; 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 Robert J Mair there as the householder, retired. In 1940 the directory lists W J Mair at 2118 East 32nd Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists William J Mair there as the householder, a laborer.
In 1940 the directory lists R D Mair at 2268 East 38th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Robert D Mair there as the householder, a helper at BC Fir, with Elizabeth M Mair, an operator at the BC Telephone. In 1940 the directory lists R J Mair at 2274 East 8th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Robert J Mair there as the householder, a watch repairer at Shores.
The 1940 name section lists Christina Mair at 1212 Granville Street, a stenographer. Mrs B Mair is listed at 5662 Laburnum Street in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Blanche Mair there as the householder, widow of L E.
K F R Mair is listed at 6389 McCleery Street in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Ken F R Mair there as the householder, a manager at Davies Paper Box. D J Mair is listed at 3406 West 2nd Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Doug J Mair there as the householder, a branch manager at the Bank of Nova Scotia, with John D Mair, a student at UBC.
W H Mair is listed at 2249 West 36th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists William H Mair there as the householder, a machinist. H Mair is listed at 3317 West 3rd Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Hugh Mair there as the householder, proprietor of Superior Curtain & Dry Cleaners, with Audrey Mair, an assistant at Superior Curtain & Dry Cleaners, Oliven M Mair, and Viola Mair.
Today
1212 Granville, 5662 Laburnum, 6389 McCleery, 3406 West 2nd and 3317 West 3rd still have their buildings from before 1946; 2142 East 1st (2008), 2268 East 38th (1989) and 2274 East 8th (2010) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 2118 East 32nd and 2249 West 36th, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 24 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Mair R J2142 East 1st, p. 172
- Mair Robt J retired2142 East 1st, p. 405
- *Mair W J2118 East 32nd, p. 247
- Mair Wm J lab2118 East 32nd, p. 405
- *Mair R D2268 East 38th, p. 254
- Mair Eliz M opr BC Tel2268 East 38th, p. 405
- Mair Robt D hlpr BC Fir2268 East 38th, p. 405
- Mair R J2274 East 8th, p. 194
- Mair Robt J wtch repr Shores2274 East 8th, p. 405
- Mair Christina sten1212 Granville, p. 405
- *Mair Mrs B5662 Laburnum, p. 100
- Mair Blanche wid L E5662 Laburnum, p. 405
- *Mair K F R6389 McCleery, p. 104
- Mair Ken F R mgr Davies Paper Box6389 McCleery, p. 405
- *Mair D J3406 West 2nd, p. 177
- Mair Doug J br mgr Bk of NS3406 West 2nd, p. 405
- Mair John D studt UBC3406 West 2nd, p. 405
- *Mair W H2249 West 36th, p. 252
- Mair Wm H mach2249 West 36th, p. 405
- *Mair H3317 West 3rd, p. 179
- Mair Audrey asst Superior Curtain & Dry Clnrs3317 West 3rd, p. 405
- Mair Hugh prop Superior Curtain & Dry Clnrs3317 West 3rd, p. 405
- Mair Oliven M3317 West 3rd, p. 405
- Mair Viola3317 West 3rd, p. 405
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Mairs
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Mair 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.