A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Rolands
In the city directories 1940 · eleven people at eight addresses
The directories print eleven people named Roland at eight addresses in 1940 in six of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling Rolland. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: four Rolands at 1120 Nelson 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 Rolands lived
- 1
2575 Charles Street
Hastings-Sunrise, 1940
- R A Roland, a painter 1940
Next door in 1940: J Stirling at 2555 and J Metzger at 2581. The block, door by door
- 2
1769 East 12th Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- W Rolland, a laborer 1940
Next door in 1940: M L Butcher at 1767 and J Sloan at 1775. The block, door by door
- 3
3231 East Broadway
Hastings-Sunrise, 1940
- F Roland 1940
Next door in 1940: F H Strain at 3221 and Miss M Malsbury at 3261. The block, door by door
- 4
42 East Cordova Street
Downtown, 1940
- Harry Roland 1940
Next door in 1940: Pumps & Power Ltd at 40 and Pumps & Power (whse) at 48. The block, door by door
- 5
3283 Fleming Street
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- Sciota Roland, widow of W F 1940
Next door in 1940: Convent St Joseph's at 3271 and A Fulton at 3299. The block, door by door
- 6
919 Keefer Street
Strathcona, 1940
- H Roland, a longshoreman 1940
Next door in 1940: E H Embleton at 917 and H Babiy at 921. The block, door by door
- 7
1120 Nelson Street
West End, 1940
- Agnes M Roland, a waitress 1940
- Mabel U Roland, a waitress 1940
- Paul A Roland 1940
- Thelma H Roland, a waitress for Fords Cafe 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs E Balan at 1112 and 5 listings at 1122. The block, door by door
- 8
2407 West 47th Avenue
Kerrisdale, 1940
- D J Roland, a refrigeration department at Safeway 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs H Whalen at 2419. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for seven of the eleven: a waitress (3), a laborer, a longshoreman, a painter and a refrigeration department. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Hastings-Sunrise (2), Kensington-Cedar Cottage (2), Downtown, Kerrisdale, Strathcona 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 R A Roland, a painter, at 2575 Charles Street; 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 Rudolf A Roland there, a painter. In 1940 the directory lists W Rolland at 1769 East 12th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists William Rolland there as the householder, a laborer.
In 1940 the directory lists F Roland at 3231 East Broadway. The 1940 name section lists Harry Roland at 42 East Cordova Street. The 1940 name section lists Sciota Roland at 3283 Fleming Street, widow of W F.
H Roland is listed at 919 Keefer Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Harry Roland there as the householder, a longshoreman. The 1940 name section lists Agnes M Roland at 1120 Nelson Street, a waitress, with Mabel U Roland, a waitress, Paul A Roland, and Thelma H Roland, a waitress for Fords Cafe.
In 1940 the directory lists D J Roland at 2407 West 47th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Doug J Roland there as the householder, a refrigeration department at Safeway.
Today
2575 Charles and 42 East Cordova still have their buildings from before 1946; 1769 East 12th (1982), 3231 East Broadway (1990), 3283 Fleming (1989) and 2407 West 47th (2012) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 919 Keefer and 1120 Nelson, 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.
- *Roland R A pntr2575 Charles, p. 29
- Roland Rudolf A pntr2575 Charles, p. 530
- Rolland W1769 East 12th, p. 207
- Rolland Wm lab1769 East 12th, p. 530
- Roland F3231 East Broadway, p. 16
- Roland Harry42 East Cordova, p. 530
- Roland Sciota wid W F3283 Fleming, p. 530
- Roland H919 Keefer, p. 94
- Roland Harry lngshmn919 Keefer, p. 530
- Roland Agnes M waitress1120 Nelson, p. 530
- Roland Mabel U waitress1120 Nelson, p. 530
- Roland Paul A1120 Nelson, p. 530
- Roland Thelma H waitress Fords Cafe1120 Nelson, p. 530
- Roland D J2407 West 47th, p. 264
- Roland Doug J refrig dept Safeway2407 West 47th, p. 530
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Rolands
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Roland 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.