Vancouver / Names / S / Semke

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Semkes

In the city directories 1940 · two people at two addresses

The directories print two people named Semke at two addresses in 1940 in Sunset. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: 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 Semkes 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

    6339 Chester Street

    Sunset, 1940

    • A Semke, proprietor of Albert's Barber Shop 1940

    Next door in 1940: H Horne at 6329 and R Armstrong at 6351. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    349 East 55th Avenue

    Sunset, 1940

    • A Semke, a cleaner at the Eburne Saw Mills 1940

    Next door in 1940: W Jones at 343 and R J Lewis at 365. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for all two: a cleaner and a proprietor.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Sunset (2). 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 A Semke at 6339 Chester 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 Albert Semke there as the householder, proprietor of Albert's Barber Shop. In 1940 the directory lists A Semke at 349 East 55th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Adolph Semke there as the householder, a cleaner at the Eburne Saw Mills.

Today

6339 Chester still has its building from before 1946, dated 1930 by the City's record; 349 East 55th (1996) has a newer building, by the City's record.

Every line as printed

All 4 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 Semkes

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Semke 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.

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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 S. Want a name removed? Tell us.