A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The McCombers
In the city directories 1940 · five people at three addresses
The directories print five people named McComber at three addresses in 1940 in Grandview-Woodland. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: three McCombers at 1817 Parker 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 McCombers lived
- 1
1705 McSpadden Avenue
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- E J McComber, a driver at McComber Products 1940
Next door in 1940: F W R Adams at 1723. The block, door by door
- 2
1230 Odlum Drive
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- Edward L McComber 1940
Next door in 1940: R J Gagnon at 1236. The block, door by door
- 3
1817 Parker Street
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- J A McComber, proprietor of McComber Products 1940
- Vance A McComber, a benchman at Hammonds 1940
- Walter A McComber 1940
Next door in 1940: L Braverman at 1823. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for three of the five: a benchman, a driver and a proprietor. Two of them worked for McComber Products.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Grandview-Woodland (3). 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 E J McComber at 1705 McSpadden Avenue. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Earl J McComber there as the householder, a driver at McComber Products. The 1940 name section lists Edward L McComber at 1230 Odlum Drive.
J A McComber is listed at 1817 Parker Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists John A McComber there as the householder, proprietor of McComber Products, with Vance A McComber, a benchman at Hammonds, and Walter A McComber.
Today
1817 Parker still has its building from before 1946, dated 1922 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1705 McSpadden and 1230 Odlum 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.
- McComber E J1705 McSpadden, p. 106
- McComber Earl J drvr McComber Prod1705 McSpadden, p. 366
- McComber Edw L _ _ _1230 Odlum Drive, p. 366
- McComber J A1817 Parker, p. 125
- McComber John A prop McComber Prod1817 Parker, p. 366
- McComber Vance A _ benchmn Hammonds1817 Parker, p. 366
- McComber Walter A _ _ _1817 Parker, p. 366
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the McCombers
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the McComber 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.