Vancouver / Names / R / Roberts / West 12th Avenue

A family name on West 12th Avenue, Fairview, Mount Pleasant, Kitsilano and West Point Grey

The Robertses

In the city directories 1940 · four people at four addresses

The directories print four people named Roberts at four addresses in 1940, all on West 12th Avenue, with the close spelling Robertis. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The directories print the name on 126 other streets too, all listed on the Roberts name's own page.

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 Robertses 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

    550 West 12th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • Mrs A M Roberts, widow of G 1940

    Next door in 1940: W Eaton at 548 and N P Cormier at 584. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1506 West 12th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • W Roberts, a branch manager at United Cigar 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs C L Miller at 1510. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    2546 West 12th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • P A Roberts, a salesman 1940

    Next door in 1940: A J Cameron at 2536 and E G Bigler at 2556. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    4534 West 12th Avenue

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • V J Roberts, proprietor of the Blue Jay Library 1940

    Next door in 1940: J S Macdonald at 4528 and R McGuire at 4538. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for three of the four: a branch manager, a proprietor and a salesman. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Fairview (2), Kitsilano 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 Mrs A M Roberts at 550 West 12th 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 Alice M Roberts there as the householder, widow of G. In 1940 the directory lists W Roberts at 1506 West 12th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists William Roberts there as the householder, a branch manager at United Cigar.

In 1940 the directory lists P A Roberts at 2546 West 12th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Percy A Roberts there as the householder, a salesman. In 1940 the directory lists V J Roberts at 4534 West 12th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Victor J Roberts there as the householder, proprietor of the Blue Jay Library.

Today

550 West 12th (1965), 2546 West 12th (1986) and 4534 West 12th (2014) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1506 West 12th, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 8 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 Robertses

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Roberts 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.

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.