A family name on Richards Street, Downtown
The Robinsons
In the city directories 1940 · four people at four addresses
The directories print four people named Robinson at four addresses in 1940, all on Richards Street. 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 145 other streets too, all listed on the Robinson 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 Robinsons lived
- 1
440 Richards Street
Downtown, 1940
- W Robinson, proprietor of the Empress Rooms 1940
Next door in 1940: E C Appleby at 438. The block, door by door
- 2
533 Richards Street
Downtown, 1940
- J W Robinson, a watchmaker 1940
Next door in 1940: New York Annex Barber Shop at 531 and Lunch Cariboo at 535. The block, door by door
- 3
872 Richards Street
Downtown, 1940
- Thomas Robinson 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs V Cathcart at 864 and A Inglis at 876. The block, door by door
- 4
1087 Richards Street
Downtown, 1940
- Mrs S A Robinson, rooms to let 1940
Next door in 1940: E McKinnon at 1083 and J Naple at 1097. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for one of the four: a proprietor.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Downtown (4). 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 W Robinson at 440 Richards Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Walter Robinson there as the householder, proprietor of the Empress Rooms. In 1940 the directory lists J W Robinson, a watchmaker, at 533 Richards Street. The 1940 name section lists Thomas Robinson at 872 Richards Street.
In 1940 the directory lists Mrs S A Robinson, rooms to let, at 1087 Richards Street.
Today
440 Richards still has its building from before 1946, dated 1906 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 533 Richards, 872 Richards and 1087 Richards, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 5 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Robinson W440 Richards, p. 141
- Robinson Walter prop Empress Rooms440 Richards, p. 527
- Robinson J W wtchmkr533 Richards, p. 141
- Robinson Thos872 Richards, p. 527
- Robinson Mrs S A rooms1087 Richards, p. 142
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Robinsons
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Robinson 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.