Vancouver / Names / P / Prefontaine

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Prefontaines

In the city directories 1940 · two people at two addresses

The directories print two people named Prefontaine 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 Prefontaines lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. One address isn't on today's map, so it has no pin. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    2826 East Pender Street

    Hastings-Sunrise, 1940

    • R J Prefontaine, a mailer at the Province 1940

    Next door in 1940: J Morgan at 2846. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    8555 Shaughnessy Street

    Marpole, 1940

    • P E Prefontaine, who ran a gas & oil service station 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs E J Biggan at 8531. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for all two: a gas and a mailer.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Hastings-Sunrise 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 R J Prefontaine at 2826 East Pender 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 Rene J Prefontaine there as the householder, a mailer at the Province. In 1940 the directory lists P E Prefontaine at 8555 Shaughnessy Street. The 1940 name section lists Peter E Prefontaine there as the householder, who ran a gas & oil service station.

Today

2826 East Pender still has its building from before 1946, dated 1929 by the City's record; 8555 Shaughnessy (1975) has a newer building, by the City's record.

Riders in costume in a Chinese parade on East Pender Street, past the Kwong Yee Lung Co.
1936–1938 Riders in costume in a Chinese parade on East Pender Street, past the Kwong Yee Lung Co.. Not at the house at 2826 East Pender: no archive photo of the 2800 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 300-101. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 4 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 Prefontaines

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Prefontaine 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.