Vancouver / Names / S / Smith / Denman Street

A family name on Denman Street, West End

The Smiths

In the city directories 1940 · seven people at four addresses

The directories print seven people named Smith at four addresses in 1940, all on Denman 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 Smiths at 601 Denman in 1940. 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

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

    601 Denman Street

    West End, 1940

    • P D Smith, a steward 1940
    • O P Smith 1940
    • Jemima Smith, widow of G 1940

    Next door in 1940: Wharf Denman at 607. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    821 Denman Street

    West End, 1940

    • Lambrett Smith, a dramatic art 1940

    Next door in 1940: H H Harvey at 847. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    1080 Denman Street

    West End, 1940

    • W A Smith, proprietor of Denman Grocery 1940
    • Russell J Smith 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs E White at 1076 and W Hunstone at 1084. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    1096 Denman Street

    West End, 1940

    • W A Smith, a confectioner 1940

    Next door in 1940: S Kikuchi at 1094. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for four of the seven: a confectioner, a dramatic art, a proprietor and a steward. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in West End (4). 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 O P Smith at 601 Denman Street. By 1940 it is P D Smith; 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 Parker D Smith there as the householder, a steward, with O P Smith, and Jemima Smith, widow of G. The 1940 name section lists Lambrett Smith at 821 Denman Street, a dramatic art.

In 1940 the directory lists W A Smith at 1080 Denman Street. The 1940 name section lists William A Smith there as the householder, proprietor of Denman Grocery, with Russell J Smith. In 1940 the directory lists W A Smith, a confectioner, at 1096 Denman Street. The 1940 name section lists W A Smith there as the householder, a confectioner.

Today

1080 Denman still has its building from before 1946, dated 1905 by the City's record; 821 Denman (1956) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 601 Denman and 1096 Denman, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Children parading on Denman Street past the Bay Theatre
1950 Children parading on Denman Street past the Bay Theatre. Not at the house at 601 Denman: no archive photo of the 600 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 392-1788. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 11 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 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.

One email, when it's ready. We use your email for nothing else and never share it. Privacy

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.