Vancouver / Names / P / Penney

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Penneys

In the city directories 1940 · eight people at seven addresses

The directories print eight people named Penney at seven addresses in 1940 in six 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 Penneys 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

    5807 Alma Street

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • Mrs M Penney, widow of R R 1940

    Next door in 1940: B McGregor at 5821. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1164 Comox Street

    West End, 1940

    • Alpon M Penney, a watchman at Union Oil 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs M E Moore at 1160 and H Campbell at 1170. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    4188 Gladstone Street

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • G G Penney, who worked for Canadian Fishing 1940

    Next door in 1940: W Hale at 4148 and R W Barr at 4196. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    1716 Pendrell Street

    West End, 1940

    • Mrs Dorothy Penney 1940

    Next door in 1940: Miss K McGregor at 1724. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    1052 Seymour Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • W B Penney, a machinist 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs I Watson at 1046 and Miss A MacLean at 1058. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    1379 West 15th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • C D Penney, a purchasing agent at Mills & Packers Ltd 1940
    • Elizabeth C Penney, widow of S 1940

    Next door in 1940: st george's apts at 1375 and Mrs K F Robinson at 1381. The block, door by door

  7. 7

    2125 West 34th Avenue

    Arbutus Ridge, 1940

    • Elizabeth J Penney, widow of S 1940

    Next door in 1940: S C McKinnell at 2115 and Mrs A I Wells at 2135. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for four of the eight: an employee, a machinist, a purchasing agent and a watchman. Three are widows, listed under their own names.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in West End (2), Arbutus Ridge, Downtown, Dunbar-Southlands, Fairview and Kensington-Cedar Cottage. 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 Mrs M Penney at 5807 Alma 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 Mary Penney there as the householder, widow of R R. The 1940 name section lists Alpon M Penney at 1164 Comox Street, a watchman at Union Oil.

G G Penney is listed at 4188 Gladstone Street in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists George G Penney there as the householder, who worked for Canadian Fishing. The 1940 name section lists Mrs Dorothy Penney at 1716 Pendrell Street.

In 1940 the directory lists W B Penney at 1052 Seymour Street. The 1940 name section lists William B Penney there as the householder, a machinist. In 1940 the directory lists C D Penney at 1379 West 15th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Claire D Penney there as the householder, a purchasing agent at Mills & Packers Ltd, with Elizabeth C Penney, widow of S.

The 1940 name section lists Elizabeth J Penney at 2125 West 34th Avenue, widow of S.

Today

1164 Comox, 1379 West 15th and 2125 West 34th still have their buildings from before 1946, 1164 Comox on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 5807 Alma (1962), 4188 Gladstone (2002) and 1052 Seymour (2010) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1716 Pendrell, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

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 Penneys

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Penney 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 P. Want a name removed? Tell us.