A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Plumbleys
In the city directories 1940 · three people at three addresses
The directories print three people named Plumbley at three addresses in 1940 in two of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling Plumbly. 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 Plumbleys lived
- 1
- 2
4522 Quebec Street
Riley Park, 1940
- Constance Plumbly, an elevator operator at Woodward's 1940
Next door in 1940: J McCourt at 4512 and D Whipps at 4536. The block, door by door
- 3
75 West King Edward Avenue
Riley Park, 1940
- F Plumbly, a conductor at the BC Electric Railway 1940
Next door in 1940: R Williams at 65. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for all three: a conductor, an elevator operator and a laborer.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Riley Park (2) and Marpole. 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 O F Plumbley at 7790 French Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Osmond F Plumbley there as the householder, a laborer at BC Sugar. The 1940 name section lists Constance Plumbly at 4522 Quebec Street, an elevator operator at Woodward's.
F Plumbly is listed at 75 West King Edward Avenue in 1940; 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 Frank Plumbly there as the householder, a conductor at the BC Electric Railway.
Today
4522 Quebec still has its building from before 1946, dated 1910 by the City's record; 75 West King Edward (1991) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 7790 French, so that building is probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 5 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Plumbley O F7790 French, p. 54
- Plumbley Osmond F lab BC Sugar7790 French, p. 497
- Plumbly Constance elev opr Woodward's4522 Quebec, p. 497
- *Plumbly F75 West King Edward, p. 96
- Plumbly Frank cond BCER75 West King Edward, p. 497
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Plumbleys
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Plumbley 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 P. Want a name removed? Tell us.