Vancouver / Names / P / Pirie

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Piries

In the city directories 1940 · 13 people at nine addresses

The directories print 13 people named Pirie at nine addresses in 1940 in seven of the city's neighbourhoods. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: three Piries at 983 West 20th in 1940.

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 Piries 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

    2703 Hemlock Street

    Fairview, 1940

    • R B W Pirie, a secretary at Consolidated Gold Alluvials 1940

    Next door in 1940: Thistle Court at 2701 and J C Wilson at 2705. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    5093 Walden Street

    Riley Park, 1940

    • A Pirie, a motorman at the BC Electric Railway 1940
    • Gladys Pirie, a saleswoman at Woodward's 1940

    Next door in 1940: J A Vorley at 5079. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    30 Water Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • A Pirie 1940

    Next door in 1940: Nan's Lunch at 28 and Bryce Ctge at 32. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    3038 West 12th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • Phyllis Pirie, a maid for J Cadell 1940

    Next door in 1940: R H M Lobb at 3036 and L R Oliver at 3042. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    4368 West 14th Avenue

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • J T Pirie, a clerk at the Post Office 1940

    Next door in 1940: W L Robins at 4364 and A M Skae at 4378. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    983 West 20th Avenue

    South Cambie, 1940

    • J Pirie, an accountant at BC Box 1940
    • Howard S Pirie, a clerk 1940
    • Ruth F Pirie 1940

    Next door in 1940: G C Pearce at 979 and H W Richardson at 999. The block, door by door

  7. 7

    610 West Cordova Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • George Pirie, a salesman 1940

    Next door in 1940: St Francis Hotel at 604 and grandview hotel at 618. The block, door by door

  8. 8

    3272 West King Edward Avenue

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • G F Pirie, a bookkeeper at Buckerfield's 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs M Trout at 3256 and G H Hackett at 3282. The block, door by door

  9. 9

    1875 Yew Street

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • Mrs A I Pirie, widow of W I 1940
    • Maizie H I Pirie, a stenographer 1940

    Next door in 1940: B Golden at 1831. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for ten of the 13: a clerk (2), an accountant, a bookkeeper, a maid, a motorman and a salesman, among others. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Downtown (2), Kitsilano (2), Dunbar-Southlands, Fairview, Riley Park, South Cambie 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 1940 the directory lists R B W Pirie at 2703 Hemlock Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Richard B W Pirie there as the householder, a secretary at Consolidated Gold Alluvials. In 1940 the directory lists A Pirie at 5093 Walden 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 lists Alex Pirie there as the householder, a motorman at the BC Electric Railway, with Gladys Pirie, a saleswoman at Woodward's.

The 1940 name section lists A Pirie at 30 Water Street. The 1940 name section lists Phyllis Pirie at 3038 West 12th Avenue, a maid for J Cadell. In 1940 the directory lists J T Pirie at 4368 West 14th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists James T Pirie there as the householder, a clerk at the Post Office, with Janette T Pirie.

In 1940 the directory lists J Pirie at 983 West 20th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists James Pirie there as the householder, an accountant at BC Box, with Howard S Pirie, a clerk, and Ruth F Pirie. The 1940 name section lists George Pirie at 610 West Cordova Street, a salesman.

G F Pirie is listed at 3272 West King Edward Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Geoffrey F Pirie there as the householder, a bookkeeper at Buckerfield's. Mrs A I Pirie is listed at 1875 Yew Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Agnes I Pirie there as the householder, widow of W I, with Maizie H I Pirie, a stenographer.

Today

5093 Walden and 4368 West 14th still have their buildings from before 1946; the City no longer lists 2703 Hemlock, 30 Water, 3038 West 12th, 983 West 20th, 610 West Cordova, 3272 West King Edward and 1875 Yew, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 20 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 Piries

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Pirie 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.

One email, when it's ready. We use your email for nothing else and never share it. Privacy

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.