Vancouver / Names / N / Napier

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Napiers

In the city directories 1940 · 15 people at 14 addresses

The directories print 15 people named Napier at 14 addresses in 1940 in eight 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 Napiers lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. One address isn't on today's map, so it has no pin. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    2960 Charles Street

    Hastings-Sunrise, 1940

    • A J Napier, a superintendent at Neon Products 1940

    Next door in 1940: J Stein at 2954 and J Trimble at 2972. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    2394 Cornwall Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • Mrs E Napier, widow of W S 1940

    Next door in 1940: R E Fitch at 2386. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    1457 East 20th Avenue

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • J A Napier, a bookkeeper 1940

    Next door in 1940: O E Wickstrom at 1453 and J P Tait at 1473. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    322 Granville Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • J E Napier, a restaurant 1940

    Next door in 1940: J W Willows at 320. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    1176 Granville Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • George Napier, a mechanic at Percy's Garage 1940

    Next door in 1940: T Davis at 1168 and Peter Pan Cafe at 1180. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    1853 Granville Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • G Napier, a furniture manufacturer 1940

    Next door in 1940: Granville Bros at 1835. The block, door by door

  7. 7

    1033 Melville Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • Pearl Napier, a waitress at Burnaby Cafe 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs E A McElderry at 1029 and J G Hale at 1039. The block, door by door

  8. 8

    4843 Sophia Street

    Riley Park, 1940

    • Mrs K Napier, widow of J 1940

    Next door in 1940: F Martyn at 4847. The block, door by door

  9. 9

    3578 Triumph Street

    Hastings-Sunrise, 1940

    • W E Napier 1940

    Next door in 1940: T W Kirby at 3566 and G E Dalzell at 3584. The block, door by door

  10. 10

    4205 Victoria Drive

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • Mrs E F Napier, widow of J 1940
    • James Napier, a clerk at the Post Office 1940

    Next door in 1940: W D Kennedy at 4257. The block, door by door

  11. 11

    2868 West 11th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • J E Napier, who ran a restaurant 1940

    Next door in 1940: Miss M Owston at 2856 and B Smeeth at 2874. The block, door by door

  12. 12

    3853 West 15th Avenue

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • J Napier 1940

    Next door in 1940: A McDonald at 3847 and C G Brooke at 3859. The block, door by door

  13. 13

    1507 West 3rd Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • G Napier, a furniture manufacturer 1940

    Next door in 1940: I Kobayashi at 1519. The block, door by door

  14. 14

    1526 West 64th Avenue

    Marpole, 1940

    • E W Napier, retired 1940

    Next door in 1940: H J Browne at 1520 and S Chase at 1530. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for seven of the 15: a bookkeeper, a clerk, a furniture manufacturer, a mechanic, a restaurant and a superintendent, among others. Three are widows, listed under their own names.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Downtown (4), Hastings-Sunrise (2), Kensington-Cedar Cottage (2), Kitsilano (2), Fairview, Marpole, Riley Park 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 February 1928 A J Napier took out the permit to build a house at 2960 Charles Street. In 1940 the directory lists A J Napier at 2960 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 Alan J Napier there as the householder, a superintendent at Neon Products.

In 1940 the directory lists Mrs E Napier at 2394 Cornwall Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Elizabeth Napier there as the householder, widow of W S. In 1940 the directory lists J A Napier at 1457 East 20th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists John A Napier there as the householder, a bookkeeper.

In 1940 the directory lists J E Napier, a restaurant, at 322 Granville Street. The 1940 name section lists George Napier at 1176 Granville Street, a mechanic at Percy's Garage. In 1940 the directory lists G Napier, a furniture manufacturer, at 1853 Granville Street. The 1940 name section lists Pearl Napier at 1033 Melville Street, a waitress at Burnaby Cafe.

In 1940 the directory lists Mrs K Napier at 4843 Sophia Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Kate Napier there as the householder, widow of J. In 1940 the directory lists W E Napier at 3578 Triumph Street; the 1940 line is marked * too.

Mrs E F Napier is listed at 4205 Victoria Drive in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Elizabeth F Napier there as the householder, widow of J, with James Napier, a clerk at the Post Office. J E Napier is listed at 2868 West 11th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists James E Napier there as the householder, who ran a restaurant.

J Napier is listed at 3853 West 15th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists John Napier there as the householder. G Napier is listed at 1507 West 3rd Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Gordon Napier there as the householder, a furniture manufacturer.

E W Napier is listed at 1526 West 64th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Edmond W Napier there as the householder, retired.

Today

2960 Charles, 2394 Cornwall, 1176 Granville, 4843 Sophia, 3578 Triumph, 3853 West 15th and 1526 West 64th still have their buildings from before 1946, 2394 Cornwall on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 1457 East 20th (1971), 4205 Victoria Drive (1990) and 2868 West 11th (1992) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 322 Granville, 1853 Granville, 1033 Melville and 1507 West 3rd, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 24 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 Napiers

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Napier 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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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 N. Want a name removed? Tell us.