A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Rowells
In the city directories 1940 · ten people at eight addresses
The directories print ten people named Rowell at eight 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 Rowells lived
- 1
1616 Alberni Street
West End, 1940
- J Rowell, an engineer 1940
Next door in 1940: A Ferguson at 1614 and Mrs A M Dafoe at 1624. The block, door by door
- 2
1115 Barclay Street
West End, 1940
- Frank Rowell, a chef at the CPR 1940
Next door in 1940: J Livingstone at 1111 and A D McLean at 1121. The block, door by door
- 3
3538 Cypress Street
Shaughnessy, 1940
- Dorothy M Rowell 1940
Next door in 1940: W R Madden at 3590. The block, door by door
- 4
2125 East Pender Street
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- R K Rowell, a salesman at Cross & Co 1940
- Edwin C Rowell 1940
Next door in 1940: R Matheson at 2129. The block, door by door
- 5
420 Robson Street
Downtown, 1940
- R H Rowell, a bookseller 1940
Next door in 1940: G H Booth at 416 and W A Stark at 422. The block, door by door
- 6
1235 West 14th Avenue
Fairview, 1940
- Violet Rowell, a maid for F Ross 1940
Next door in 1940: T G Carling at 1225 and Mrs E M Barnard at 1255. The block, door by door
- 7
3515 West 22nd Avenue
Dunbar-Southlands, 1940
- Mrs A Rowell, widow of B 1940
- Edna Rowell, a stenographer for H Kaulback 1940
Next door in 1940: R C Hermon at 3517. The block, door by door
- 8
181 West Pender Street
Downtown, 1940
- A T Rowell, in books 1940
Next door in 1940: Disabled Veteran's Assn at 179. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for five of the ten: a chef, an engineer, a maid, a salesman and a stenographer. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Downtown (2), West End (2), Dunbar-Southlands, Fairview, Grandview-Woodland and Shaughnessy. 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 Rowell at 1616 Alberni Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists James Rowell there as the householder, an engineer, with J Doug G Rowell, a cushion maker for A P Madsen. The 1940 name section lists Frank Rowell at 1115 Barclay Street, a chef at the CPR. The 1940 name section lists Dorothy M Rowell at 3538 Cypress Street.
In 1940 the directory lists R K Rowell at 2125 East Pender Street. The 1940 name section lists Robert K Rowell there as the householder, a salesman at Cross & Co, with Edwin C Rowell. In 1940 the directory lists R H Rowell, a bookseller, at 420 Robson Street. The 1940 name section lists Violet Rowell at 1235 West 14th Avenue, a maid for F Ross.
In 1940 the directory lists Mrs A Rowell at 3515 West 22nd 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 lists Alice Rowell there as the householder, widow of B, with Edna Rowell, a stenographer for H Kaulback. In 1940 the directory lists A T Rowell, in books, at 181 West Pender Street.
Today
3538 Cypress and 2125 East Pender still have their buildings from before 1946; 3515 West 22nd (2000) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1616 Alberni, 1115 Barclay, 420 Robson, 1235 West 14th and 181 West Pender, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 14 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Rowell J1616 Alberni, p. 3
- Rowell J Doug G cushion mkr A P Madsen1616 Alberni, p. 535
- Rowell Jas eng Border Line Trans1616 Alberni, p. 535
- Rowell Frank chef CPR1115 Barclay, p. 535
- Rowell Dorothy M3538 Cypress, p. 535
- Rowell R K2125 East Pender, p. 128
- Rowell Edwin C2125 East Pender, p. 535
- Rowell Robt K slsmn Cross & Co2125 East Pender, p. 535
- Rowell R H bookseller420 Robson, p. 142
- Rowell Violet maid F Ross1235 West 14th, p. 535
- *Rowell Mrs A3515 West 22nd, p. 235
- Rowell Alice wid B3515 West 22nd, p. 535
- Rowell Edna sten H Kaulback3515 West 22nd, p. 535
- Rowell A T books181 West Pender, p. 129
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Rowells
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Rowell 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.