A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Mersons
In the city directories 1940 · two people at two addresses
The directories print two people named Merson at two addresses in 1940 in two of the city's neighbourhoods. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: 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 Mersons lived
- 1
3032 East 28th Avenue
Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940
- G S Merson, a sheet metal worker at Boeings 1940
Next door in 1940: F T Ball at 3028 and A G F Knibb at 3060. The block, door by door
- 2
1536 East 8th Avenue
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- J S Merson, a carpenter 1940
Next door in 1940: T Brooks at 1530 and Mrs M A Clayton at 1542. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for all two: a carpenter and a sheet metal worker.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Grandview-Woodland and Renfrew-Collingwood. 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 G S Merson at 3032 East 28th Avenue. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists George S Merson there as the householder, a sheet metal worker at Boeings. In 1940 the directory lists J S Merson at 1536 East 8th 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 lists Joseph S Merson there as the householder, a carpenter.
Today
3032 East 28th (1956) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1536 East 8th, so that building is probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 4 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Merson G S3032 East 28th, p. 243
- Merson Geo S sht mtl wkr Boeings3032 East 28th, p. 426
- *Merson J S1536 East 8th, p. 194
- Merson Jos S carp1536 East 8th, p. 426
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Mersons
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Merson 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.