Vancouver / Names / R / Risley

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Risleys

In the city directories 1940 · seven people at six addresses

The directories print seven people named Risley at six addresses in 1940 in six of the city's neighbourhoods. 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 Risleys 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

    921 Beach Avenue

    Downtown, 1940

    • Agnes Risley, a widow 1940

    Next door in 1940: “Cabins” at 917. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    2869 East 23rd Avenue

    Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940

    • A Risley, a driver 1940

    Next door in 1940: Miss M H Stephenson at 2851 and S Newman at 2875. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    772 East 30th Avenue

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • A Risley, a peddler 1940
    • William Risley, a peddler 1940

    Next door in 1940: C L Jenkins at 796. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    542 East Broadway

    Mount Pleasant, 1940

    • H Risley, a laborer 1940

    Next door in 1940: T J Bowers at 532 and T Williams at 556. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    6395 Prince Edward Street

    Sunset, 1940

    • Mrs M Risley, widow of J H 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs M Ferguson at 6381. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    1984 West 7th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • Mrs Ada Risley 1940

    Next door in 1940: Rev C Molchansky at 1990. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for four of the seven: a peddler (2), a driver and a laborer. Two are widows, listed under their own names.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Downtown, Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, Renfrew-Collingwood and Sunset. 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

The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Agnes Risley at 921 Beach Avenue, a widow. A Risley is listed at 2869 East 23rd 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 Alfred Risley there as the householder, a driver.

A Risley is listed at 772 East 30th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Alfred Risley there as the householder, a peddler, with William Risley, a peddler. H Risley is listed at 542 East Broadway in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Henry Risley there as the householder, a laborer.

Mrs M Risley is listed at 6395 Prince Edward Street in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Madge Risley there as the householder, widow of J H. The 1940 name section lists Mrs Ada Risley at 1984 West 7th Avenue.

Today

772 East 30th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1910 by the City's record; 2869 East 23rd (2004) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 921 Beach, 542 East Broadway, 6395 Prince Edward and 1984 West 7th, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 11 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
1940

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, name section, where each person's work is printed

The book of the Risleys

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Risley 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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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.