A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The McBains
In the city directories 1940 · nine people at eight addresses
The directories print nine people named McBain at eight addresses in 1940 in five 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 McBains lived
- 1
1033 Balfour Avenue
Shaughnessy, 1940
- C W McBain, a land agent at the CPR 1940
Next door in 1940: G A Seymour at 1063. The block, door by door
- 2
591 East 13th Avenue
Mount Pleasant, 1940
- J S McBain, a janitor at Vancouver Block 1940
Next door in 1940: J Mearns at 589 and J K Marshall at 593. The block, door by door
- 3
720 East 27th Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- George R McBain 1940
Next door in 1940: M E Skaife at 766. The block, door by door
- 4
996 East 33rd Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- H McBain, a carpenter 1940
Next door in 1940: W Hay at 978. The block, door by door
- 5
1915 Haro Street
West End, 1940
- Georgina L McBain, widow of H W 1940
Next door in 1940: haro lodge at 1935. The block, door by door
- 6
1386 Nicola Street
West End, 1940
- Mrs B A McBain, widow of W 1940
- Wilberta J McBain, a school teacher 1940
Next door in 1940: greythorpe apts at 1334. The block, door by door
- 7
3905 West 14th Avenue
West Point Grey, 1940
- Mrs M L McBain, widow of J R 1940
Next door in 1940: J Peel at 3911. The block, door by door
- 8
1840 West Georgia Street
West End, 1940
- A J McBain, a machinist 1940
Next door in 1940: G V A Chowne at 1832 and Davidson's Laminated Ski Fcty at 1852. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for four of the nine: a carpenter, a janitor, a land agent and a school teacher. Three are widows, listed under their own names.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in West End (3), Kensington-Cedar Cottage (2), Mount Pleasant, Shaughnessy and West Point Grey. 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 C W McBain at 1033 Balfour Avenue. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Clark W McBain there as the householder, a land agent at the CPR. In 1940 the directory lists J S McBain at 591 East 13th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists John S McBain there as the householder, a janitor at Vancouver Block.
The 1940 name section lists George R McBain at 720 East 27th Avenue. H McBain is listed at 996 East 33rd 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 Hugh McBain there as the householder, a carpenter. The 1940 name section lists Georgina L McBain at 1915 Haro Street, widow of H W.
In 1940 the directory lists Mrs B A McBain at 1386 Nicola Street. The 1940 name section lists Bertha A McBain there as the householder, widow of W, with Wilberta J McBain, a school teacher. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs M L McBain at 3905 West 14th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Mary L McBain there as the householder, widow of J R.
In 1940 the directory lists A J McBain, a machinist, at 1840 West Georgia Street.
Today
1033 Balfour, 720 East 27th, 996 East 33rd, 1915 Haro, 1386 Nicola and 3905 West 14th still have their buildings from before 1946, 1386 Nicola on the Vancouver Heritage Register; the City no longer lists 591 East 13th and 1840 West Georgia, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 14 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- McBain C W1033 Balfour, p. 7
- McBain Clark W land agt CPR1033 Balfour, p. 362
- McBain J S591 East 13th, p. 210
- McBain John S jntr Van Blk591 East 13th, p. 363
- McBain Geo R720 East 27th, p. 363
- *McBain H996 East 33rd, p. 248
- McBain Hugh carp996 East 33rd, p. 363
- McBain Georgina L wid H W1915 Haro, p. 363
- McBain Mrs B A1386 Nicola, p. 120
- McBain Bertha A wid W1386 Nicola, p. 362
- McBain Wilberta J sch tchr Van City1386 Nicola, p. 363
- *McBain Mrs M L3905 West 14th, p. 217
- McBain Mary L wid J R3905 West 14th, p. 363
- McBain A J mach1840 West Georgia, p. 59
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the McBains
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the McBain 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.