Vancouver / Names / R / Renton

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Rentons

In the city directories 1940 · ten people at six addresses

The directories print ten people named Renton at six 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: three Rentons at 3648 West 15th 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 Rentons 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

    2681 East 18th Avenue

    Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940

    • J W Renton, retired 1940

    Next door in 1940: A Marsh at 2671. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    2755 East 21st Avenue

    Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940

    • Bella Renton, a maid at Vancouver Preventorium 1940
  3. 3

    2146 West 14th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • A McK Renton, an acting manager at Renton Distributors 1940

    Next door in 1940: G E Arundel at 2134 and F M Page at 2156. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    3648 West 15th Avenue

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • H P Renton, a manager at the Canada Grease Works 1940
    • Earl P Renton 1940
    • Joan G Renton 1940

    Next door in 1940: H L Longman at 3634 and C Addie at 3652. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    2026 West 41st Avenue

    Shaughnessy, 1940

    • J A Renton, a salesman at Renton Distributors 1940

    Next door in 1940: W G M Todman at 2024 and Miss E M Southcott at 2038. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    3031 West Broadway

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • Mrs J E Renton, widow of A C 1940
    • Ellen G Renton, a sewer at Woodward's 1940
    • Lawrence E Renton 1940

    Next door in 1940: Arcade Book at 3027 and Kitsilano Co-op Soc at 3061. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for five of the ten: an acting manager, a maid, a manager, a salesman and a sewer. Two of them worked for Renton Distributors. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kitsilano (2), Renfrew-Collingwood (2), Shaughnessy 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 J W Renton at 2681 East 18th 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 W Renton there as the householder, retired. The 1940 name section lists Bella Renton at 2755 East 21st Avenue, a maid at Vancouver Preventorium.

A McK Renton is listed at 2146 West 14th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Arnold McK Renton there as the householder, an acting manager at Renton Distributors. H P Renton is listed at 3648 West 15th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Harold P Renton there as the householder, a manager at the Canada Grease Works, with Earl P Renton and Joan G Renton.

J A Renton is listed at 2026 West 41st Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists James A Renton there as the householder, a salesman at Renton Distributors. Mrs J E Renton is listed at 3031 West Broadway in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Jane E Renton there as the householder, widow of A C, with Ellen G Renton, a sewer at Woodward's, and Lawrence E Renton.

Today

2681 East 18th and 3648 West 15th still have their buildings from before 1946; 2146 West 14th (1988) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 2755 East 21st, 2026 West 41st and 3031 West Broadway, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 15 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 Rentons

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Renton 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 R. Want a name removed? Tell us.