A family name on Commercial Street, Kensington-Cedar Cottage and Victoria-Fraserview
The Smiths
In the city directories 1940 · nine people at seven addresses
The directories print nine people named Smith at seven addresses in 1940, all on Commercial Street. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The directories print the name on 305 other streets too, all listed on the Smith 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 Smiths lived
- 1
4206 Commercial Street
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- G Smith, a moulder 1940
- Robert A Smith, a saleswoman at Safeway Stores 1940
Next door in 1940: A Duffus at 4218. The block, door by door
- 2
4438 Commercial Street
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- C S Smith, a swamper 1940
Next door in 1940: H G Fraser at 4430 and L C Jones at 4448. The block, door by door
- 3
4473 Commercial Street
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- B Smith, a salesman at Woodward's 1940
Next door in 1940: A W Cook at 4441 and W Clayton at 4493. The block, door by door
- 4
5483 Commercial Street
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- J Smith, on active service 1940
Next door in 1940: O Bensmiller at 5457. The block, door by door
- 5
5919 Commercial Street
Victoria-Fraserview, 1940
- A E Smith, a swamper at the City of Vancouver 1940
- Stan A E Smith, a deckhand 1940
Next door in 1940: J Dunbar at 5931. The block, door by door
- 6
6425 Commercial Street
Victoria-Fraserview, 1940
- F P Smith, a carpenter 1940
Next door in 1940: A Watson at 6449. The block, door by door
- 7
8327 Commercial Street
Victoria-Fraserview, 1940
- William Smith, a millworker at Malo Wayne Shingle 1940
Next door in 1940: J Abbott at 8367. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for all nine: a swamper (2), a carpenter, a deckhand, a millworker, a moulder and an on active service, among others.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Kensington-Cedar Cottage (4) and Victoria-Fraserview (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 G Smith at 4206 Commercial 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 George Smith there as the householder, a moulder, with Robert A Smith, a saleswoman at Safeway Stores. In 1940 the directory lists C S Smith at 4438 Commercial Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Calder S Smith there as the householder, a swamper.
In 1940 the directory lists B Smith at 4473 Commercial Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Baden Smith there as the householder, a salesman at Woodward's. In 1940 the directory lists J Smith at 5483 Commercial Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Joseph Smith there as the householder, on active service.
In 1940 the directory lists A E Smith at 5919 Commercial Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Albert E Smith there as the householder, a swamper at the City of Vancouver, with Stan A E Smith, a deckhand. In 1940 the directory lists F P Smith at 6425 Commercial Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Frank P Smith there as the householder, a carpenter.
The 1940 name section lists William Smith at 8327 Commercial Street, a millworker at Malo Wayne Shingle.
Today
4206 Commercial (1989), 4438 Commercial (1968), 4473 Commercial (1995), 5483 Commercial (2017), 5919 Commercial (1974) and 6425 Commercial (1976) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 8327 Commercial, so that building is probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 15 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Smith G4206 Commercial, p. 34
- Smith Geo mldr4206 Commercial, p. 569
- Smith Robt A slswm Safeway Stores4206 Commercial, p. 573
- *Smith C S4438 Commercial, p. 34
- Smith Calder S swamper4438 Commercial, p. 568
- *Smith B4473 Commercial, p. 34
- Smith Baden slsmn Woodwards4473 Commercial, p. 568
- *Smith J5483 Commercial, p. 34
- Smith Jos act serv5483 Commercial, p. 571
- *Smith A E5919 Commercial, p. 34
- Smith Albt E swamper Van City5919 Commercial, p. 567
- Smith Stan A E deckhd5919 Commercial, p. 573
- *Smith F P6425 Commercial, p. 34
- Smith Frank P carp6425 Commercial, p. 569
- Smith Wm mlwkr Malo Wayne Shingle8327 Commercial, p. 574
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Smiths
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Smith 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.