A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Rostroms
In the city directories 1940 · four people at four addresses
The directories print four people named Rostrom at four addresses in 1940 in four of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling Rosstrom. 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 Rostroms lived
- 1
4280 Beatrice Street
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- J Rostrom, a laborer at Bloedel, Stewart & Welch 1940
Next door in 1940: A MacLeod at 4268 and O Larsen at 4294. The block, door by door
- 2
2135 Triumph Street
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- P A Rosstrom, a driver 1940
Next door in 1940: A Ross at 2115 and J Graham at 2139. The block, door by door
- 3
- 4
4234 West 9th Avenue
West Point Grey, 1940
- Laura Rostrom, a maid for C J Prevost 1940
Next door in 1940: A E Evans at 4224 and G E Foster at 4250. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for all four: a driver (2), a laborer and a maid.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Grandview-Woodland, Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Victoria-Fraserview 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 Rostrom at 4280 Beatrice Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists John Rostrom there as the householder, a laborer at Bloedel, Stewart & Welch. In 1940 the directory lists P A Rosstrom at 2135 Triumph Street. The 1940 name section lists P Albert Rosstrom there as the householder, a driver.
In 1940 the directory lists S Rostrom at 6790 Victoria Drive; 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 Stan Rostrom there as the householder, a driver. The 1940 name section lists Laura Rostrom at 4234 West 9th Avenue, a maid for C J Prevost.
Today
2135 Triumph and 4234 West 9th still have their buildings from before 1946; the City no longer lists 4280 Beatrice and 6790 Victoria Drive, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 7 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Rostrom J4280 Beatrice, p. 10
- Rostrom John lab Bloedel, Stewart & Welch4280 Beatrice, p. 534
- Rosstrom P A2135 Triumph, p. 157
- Rosstrom P Albt drvr2135 Triumph, p. 534
- *Rostrom S6790 Victoria Drive, p. 163
- Rostrom Stan drvr6790 Victoria Drive, p. 534
- Rostrom Laura maid C J Prevost4234 West 9th, p. 534
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Rostroms
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Rostrom 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.