Vancouver / Names / O / O'Brien / Nelson Street

A family name on Nelson Street, West End and Downtown

The O'Briens

In the city directories 1940 · three people at two addresses

The directories print three people named O'Brien at two addresses in 1940, all on Nelson Street, with the close spelling O'brien. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: we can't tell if they're one family. The directories print the name on 47 other streets too, all listed on the O'Brien name's own page.

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 O'Briens 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

    1025 Nelson Street

    West End, 1940

    • M C O'Brien, a salesman 1940

    Next door in 1940: Miss L Miller at 1021 and clovelly lodge at 1049. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1049 Nelson Street

    West End, 1940

    • Mrs M O'Brien, widow of M 1940
    • Stan O'Brien, a switchman at the National Harbours Board 1940

    Next door in 1940: M C O'Brien at 1025. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for two of the three: a salesman and a switchman. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in West End (2). 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 M C O'Brien at 1025 Nelson 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 Michael C O'Brien there as the householder, a salesman. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs M O'Brien at 1049 Nelson Street. The 1940 name section lists Mary O'Brien there as the householder, widow of M, with Stan O'Brien, a switchman at the National Harbours Board.

Today

The City no longer lists 1025 Nelson and 1049 Nelson, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Nelson Street, a wide street of houses behind hedges
About 1915 Nelson Street, a wide street of houses behind hedges. Not at the house at 1049 Nelson: no archive photo of the 1000 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, Str P181.2. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 5 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 O'Briens

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the O'Brien 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 O. Want a name removed? Tell us.