A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Shells
In the city directories 1940 · three people at three addresses
The directories print three people named Shell at three 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 Shells lived
- 1
4569 Gladstone Street
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- W H Shell, a janitor at Army & Navy Vets 1940
Next door in 1940: J Bagan at 4561. The block, door by door
- 2
8531 Montcalm Street
Marpole, 1940
- A S Shell, retired 1940
Next door in 1940: K J McKinnon at 8509 and K Wood at 8555. The block, door by door
- 3
3295 West 13th Avenue
Kitsilano, 1940
- J E Shell, an inspector at the Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau 1940
Next door in 1940: H F Kummer at 3285. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for two of the three: an inspector and a janitor.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Kitsilano and Marpole. 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 W H Shell at 4569 Gladstone 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 William H Shell there as the householder, a janitor at Army & Navy Vets. In 1940 the directory lists A S Shell at 8531 Montcalm Street. The 1940 name section lists A Sylvester Shell there as the householder, retired.
In 1940 the directory lists J E Shell at 3295 West 13th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Joseph E Shell there as the householder, an inspector at the Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau.
Today
4569 Gladstone (1962) and 8531 Montcalm (1987) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 3295 West 13th, so that building is 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.
- *Shell W H4569 Gladstone, p. 59
- Shell Wm H jntr Army & Navy Vets4569 Gladstone, p. 556
- Shell A S8531 Montcalm, p. 116
- Shell A Sylvester retired8531 Montcalm, p. 556
- Shell J E3295 West 13th, p. 213
- Shell Jos E inspr PLIB3295 West 13th, p. 556
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Shells
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Shell 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.