A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Mairses
In the city directories 1940 · four people at three addresses
The directories print four people named Mairs at three addresses in 1940 in two 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 Mairses lived
- 1
2481 East 40th Avenue
Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940
- D C Mairs, a helper at Ross & Howard 1940
Next door in 1940: H C Hansell at 2425. The block, door by door
- 2
2534 East 40th Avenue
Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940
- H E Mairs, a rivetter 1940
- May Mairs, a laundress at Peerless Laundry 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs S J Simpson at 2542. The block, door by door
- 3
2880 Grant Street
Hastings-Sunrise, 1940
- A Mairs, a machinist at BC Sugar 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs W Hakala at 2830. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for all four: a helper, a laundress, a machinist and a rivetter.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Renfrew-Collingwood (2) and Hastings-Sunrise. 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 D C Mairs at 2481 East 40th 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 David C Mairs there as the householder, a helper at Ross & Howard. In 1940 the directory lists H E Mairs at 2534 East 40th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Hugh E Mairs there as the householder, a rivetter, with May Mairs, a laundress at Peerless Laundry.
In 1940 the directory lists A Mairs at 2880 Grant Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Alex Mairs there as the householder, a machinist at BC Sugar.
Today
2880 Grant still has its building from before 1946, dated 1927 by the City's record; 2481 East 40th (1978) and 2534 East 40th (1979) have newer buildings, by the City's record.
Every line as printed
All 7 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Mairs D C2481 East 40th, p. 256
- Mairs David C hlpr Ross & Howard2481 East 40th, p. 405
- *Mairs H E2534 East 40th, p. 256
- Mairs Hugh E rivetter2534 East 40th, p. 405
- Mairs May lndrs Peerless Lndy2534 East 40th, p. 405
- *Mairs A2880 Grant, p. 61
- Mairs Alex mach BC Sugar2880 Grant, p. 405
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Mairses
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Mairs 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.