Vancouver / Names / P / Pym

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Pyms

In the city directories 1940 · eight people at three addresses

The directories print eight people named Pym at three addresses in 1940 in three 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 Pyms at 1875 West 13th 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 Pyms 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

    2034 East 34th Avenue

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • J Pym, a foreman at Burns & Co 1940
    • W M Pym 1940

    Next door in 1940: J Brownlee at 2048. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1774 Pendrell Street

    West End, 1940

    • E Pym 1940

    Next door in 1940: E W Howard at 1762. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    1875 West 13th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • W H Pym, a manager at the Provident Mutual Benefit Association 1940
    • Bert C Pym 1940
    • Elizabeth Pym, widow of E 1940
    • Gwen N C Pym, a student at UBC 1940
    • Maude C Pym, a stenographer for W H Pym 1940

    Next door in 1940: Dr W D Patton at 1865 and J Munro at 1885. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for three of the eight: a foreman, a manager and a stenographer. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Kitsilano 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 J Pym at 2034 East 34th Avenue; 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 James Pym there as the householder, a foreman at Burns & Co, with W M Pym. The 1940 name section lists E Pym at 1774 Pendrell Street.

W H Pym is listed at 1875 West 13th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists William H Pym there as the householder, a manager at the Provident Mutual Benefit Association, with Bert C Pym, Elizabeth Pym, widow of E, Gwen N C Pym, a student at UBC, and Maude C Pym, a stenographer for W H Pym.

Today

2034 East 34th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1930 by the City's record; 1875 West 13th (2009) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1774 Pendrell, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 10 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 Pyms

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Pym 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.