Vancouver / Names / M / Messer

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Messers

In the city directories 1940 · nine people at five addresses

The directories print nine people named Messer at five addresses in 1940 in four of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spellings Messere and Messier. 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 Messers lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    1568 Charles Street

    Grandview-Woodland, 1940

    • Miss D L Messier 1940
    • Doria L Messier 1940

    Next door in 1940: H Rentmeester at 1564. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1873 Charles Street

    Grandview-Woodland, 1940

    • G P Messer, a mechanic at J M Brown Motor 1940
    • Vera M Messer 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs A Runnalls at 1867. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    880 Homer Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • R P Messer, a porter at Spencer's 1940
    • Ken C Messer, a driver 1940

    Next door in 1940: Fred Drew at 878 and P C Swift at 882. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    3655 West 22nd Avenue

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • Hilda M Messer, widow of A C 1940
    • Leanore E H Messer, an operator at the BC Telephone 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs M Corbin at 3651 and A J Teed at 3663. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    2125 West 7th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • Mrs G Messere, widow of E 1940

    Next door in 1940: J Williams at 2115 and J Scott at 2135. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for four of the nine: a driver, a mechanic, an operator and a porter. Two are widows, listed under their own names.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Grandview-Woodland (2), Downtown, Dunbar-Southlands and Kitsilano. 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 Miss D L Messier at 1568 Charles Street; 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 Doria L Messier there as the householder. In 1940 the directory lists G P Messer at 1873 Charles Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists George P Messer there as the householder, a mechanic at J M Brown Motor, with Vera M Messer.

In 1940 the directory lists R P Messer at 880 Homer Street. The 1940 name section lists Robert P Messer there as the householder, a porter at Spencer's, with Ken C Messer, a driver. The 1940 name section lists Hilda M Messer at 3655 West 22nd Avenue, widow of A C, with Leanore E H Messer, an operator at the BC Telephone.

Mrs G Messere is listed at 2125 West 7th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Grace Messere there as the householder, widow of E.

Today

1873 Charles and 3655 West 22nd still have their buildings from before 1946; 1568 Charles (1989) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 880 Homer and 2125 West 7th, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Firefighters with their horse-drawn wagons in front of Firehall No. 9 at Salsbury Drive and Charles Street
About 1910 Firefighters with their horse-drawn wagons in front of Firehall No. 9 at Salsbury Drive and Charles Street. Taken on the 1800 block; it doesn't single out the house at 1873 Charles. City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 354-335. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 12 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
1940

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section

The book of the Messers

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Messer 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.

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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.