Vancouver / Names / P / Purves

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Purveses

In the city directories 1940 · nine people at five addresses

The directories print nine people named Purves at five addresses in 1940 in four 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: five Purveses at 1436 Graveley 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 Purveses 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

    1021 Comox Street

    West End, 1940

    • Mrs M Purves, widow of D 1940

    Next door in 1940: A Shelton at 1011 and Mrs L Lawley at 1023. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1436 Graveley Street

    Grandview-Woodland, 1940

    • Mrs M A Purves, widow of R 1940
    • Alex I Purves, a guard at the Customs 1940
    • Barbara Purves, an operator at the BC Telephone 1940
    • John S Purves, a clerk at the BC Electric Railway 1940
    • Margaret E Purves, an operator at the BC Telephone 1940

    Next door in 1940: G Uren at 1430 and G Bell at 1442. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    3179 Point Grey Road

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • R W Purves, a manager at Vancouver Map & Blue Print 1940

    Next door in 1940: W Hinden at 3175 and K Whitaker at 3181. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    1075 West 12th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • R W Purves, a clerk at the BC Electric Railway 1940

    Next door in 1940: Miss E Dove at 1065 and E F McDonald at 1095. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    1897 West 2nd Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • J Purves, a gardener 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs D Small at 1889. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for seven of the nine: a clerk (2), an operator (2), a gardener, a guard and a manager. Some worked for the same employer: two for BC Electric Railway and two for BC Telephone. Two are widows, listed under their own names.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kitsilano (2), Fairview, Grandview-Woodland and West End. 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 Purves at 1021 Comox Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Margaret Purves there as the householder, widow of D. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs M A Purves at 1436 Graveley 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 Margaret A Purves there as the householder, widow of R, with Alex I Purves, a guard at the Customs, Barbara Purves, an operator at the BC Telephone, John S Purves, a clerk at the BC Electric Railway, and Margaret E Purves, an operator at the BC Telephone.

In 1940 the directory lists R W Purves at 3179 Point Grey Road. The 1940 name section lists Reginald W Purves there as the householder, a manager at Vancouver Map & Blue Print. In 1940 the directory lists R W Purves at 1075 West 12th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Ralph W Purves there as the householder, a clerk at the BC Electric Railway.

In 1940 the directory lists J Purves at 1897 West 2nd Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Joseph Purves there as the householder, a gardener.

Today

1436 Graveley (1980) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1021 Comox, 3179 Point Grey Road, 1075 West 12th and 1897 West 2nd, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 14 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 Purveses

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Purves 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.