A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Nordells
In the city directories 1940 · two people at two addresses
The directories print two people named Nordell 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 Nordells lived
Fraserview
- 1
5794 Argyle Street
Victoria-Fraserview, 1940
- J O Nordell, a laborer at Canadian White Pine 1940
Next door in 1940: P Walthers at 5784. The block, door by door
- 2
2152 West 52nd Avenue
Kerrisdale, 1940
- M F Nordell 1940
Next door in 1940: J L Willson at 2142 and A Witzani at 2176. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for one of the two: a laborer.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Kerrisdale and Victoria-Fraserview. 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 May 1930 A Nordell took out the permit to build a house at 5794 Argyle Street. In 1940 the directory lists J O Nordell at 5794 Argyle 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 John O Nordell there as the householder, a laborer at Canadian White Pine. In 1940 the directory lists M F Nordell at 2152 West 52nd Avenue.
Today
5794 Argyle still has its building from before 1946, dated 1930 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 2152 West 52nd, so that building is probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 3 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Nordell J O5794 Argyle, p. 6
- Nordell John O lab Can White Pine5794 Argyle, p. 462
- Nordell M F2152 West 52nd, p. 267
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Nordells
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Nordell 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 N. Want a name removed? Tell us.