A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Shanahans
In the city directories 1940 · four people at four addresses
The directories print four people named Shanahan at four addresses in 1940 in three 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 Shanahans lived
- 1
4161 Crown Crescent
West Point Grey, 1940
- A M Shanahan 1940
Next door in 1940: L Leavy at 4157 and D M Ellen at 4175. The block, door by door
- 2
853 East 20th Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- J F Shanahan, an engineer at Masterbilt Doors 1940
Next door in 1940: J P Wick at 847 and H J Stiles at 857. The block, door by door
- 3
829 Howe Street
Downtown, 1940
- A J Shanahan, a locomotive fireman at the CNR 1940
Next door in 1940: Foster's Fine Fur Store at 825 and Costumiers Parisian at 831. The block, door by door
- 4
2540 Wallace Crescent
West Point Grey, 1940
- F P Shanahan 1940
Next door in 1940: J F Brown Jr at 2554. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for two of the four: an engineer and a locomotive fireman.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in West Point Grey (2), Downtown and Kensington-Cedar Cottage. 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 M Shanahan at 4161 Crown Crescent; the 1940 line is marked *: some member of the family owns the property, to the best of our knowledge (the directory's own mark). J F Shanahan is listed at 853 East 20th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists John F Shanahan there as the householder, an engineer at Masterbilt Doors.
A J Shanahan is listed at 829 Howe Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Albert J Shanahan there as the householder, a locomotive fireman at the CNR. F P Shanahan is listed at 2540 Wallace Crescent in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too.
Today
4161 Crown Crescent and 853 East 20th still have their buildings from before 1946; the City no longer lists 829 Howe and 2540 Wallace Crescent, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 6 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Shanahan A M4161 Crown Crescent, p. 39
- Shanahan J F853 East 20th, p. 230
- Shanahan John F eng Masterbilt Doors853 East 20th, p. 553
- Shanahan A J829 Howe, p. 88
- Shanahan Albt J loco firmn CNR829 Howe, p. 553
- *Shanahan F P2540 Wallace Crescent, p. 165
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Shanahans
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Shanahan 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 S. Want a name removed? Tell us.