A family name on Barclay Street, West End
The Simpsons
In the city directories 1940 · five people at three addresses
The directories print five people named Simpson at three addresses in 1940, all on Barclay Street. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: three Simpsons at 1515 Barclay in 1940. The directories print the name on 119 other streets too, all listed on the Simpson name's own page.
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 Simpsons lived
- 1
1515 Barclay Street
West End, 1940
- H Simpson, a caretaker at the St John's United Church 1940
- Joseph H Simpson, a clerk at the BC Electric Railway 1940
- Margaret N M Simpson, a stenographer at the Province 1940
Next door in 1940: J W Anderson at 1511 and “Rooms” at 1531. The block, door by door
- 2
1544 Barclay Street
West End, 1940
- Mrs Pearl Simpson 1940
Next door in 1940: Miss M L Moffitt at 1536 and G Hewitt at 1546. The block, door by door
- 3
1924 Barclay Street
West End, 1940
- F M Simpson, a music at the Beacon Theatre 1940
Next door in 1940: D B Benson at 1900 and N C P Graves at 1934. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for four of the five: a caretaker, a clerk, a music and a stenographer.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in West End (3). 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 H Simpson at 1515 Barclay 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 Hugh Simpson there as the householder, a caretaker at the St John's United Church, with Joseph H Simpson, a clerk at the BC Electric Railway, and Margaret N M Simpson, a stenographer at the Province. The 1940 name section lists Mrs Pearl Simpson at 1544 Barclay Street.
F M Simpson is listed at 1924 Barclay Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Floyd M Simpson there as the householder, a music at the Beacon Theatre.
Today
1515 Barclay (1987) and 1924 Barclay (1965) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1544 Barclay, so that building is 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.
- *Simpson H1515 Barclay, p. 9
- Simpson Hugh caretkr St John's United Ch1515 Barclay, p. 562
- Simpson Jos H clk BCER1515 Barclay, p. 562
- Simpson Margt N M sten Province1515 Barclay, p. 562
- Simpson Mrs Pearl1544 Barclay, p. 562
- Simpson F M1924 Barclay, p. 9
- Simpson Floyd M mus Beacon Thea1924 Barclay, p. 561
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Simpsons
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Simpson 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.