Vancouver / Names / S / Somerton

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Somertons

In the city directories 1940 · four people at four addresses

The directories print four people named Somerton at four addresses in 1940 in four 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 Somertons 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

    3508 Dunbar Street

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • W Somerton, a telegraph operator 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs E Webb at 3520. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1243 Thurlow Street

    West End, 1940

    • Mrs J Somerton, widow of A E 1940

    Next door in 1940: Dr J R Davidson at 1221. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    2511 Wallace Crescent

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • G Somerton 1940

    Next door in 1940: W C Gibson at 2525. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    1927 West 19th Avenue

    Shaughnessy, 1940

    • Clara I Somerton, a maid for Mrs A Spencer 1940

    Next door in 1940: Hon H H Stevens at 1903 and C Killam at 1947. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for two of the four: a maid and a telegraph operator. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Dunbar-Southlands, Shaughnessy, West End and West Point Grey. 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 Somerton at 3508 Dunbar 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 Somerton there as the householder, a telegraph operator. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs J Somerton at 1243 Thurlow Street. The 1940 name section lists Jane Somerton there as the householder, widow of A E.

In 1940 the directory lists G Somerton at 2511 Wallace Crescent; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Clara I Somerton at 1927 West 19th Avenue, a maid for Mrs A Spencer.

Today

3508 Dunbar, 1243 Thurlow, 2511 Wallace Crescent and 1927 West 19th still have their buildings from before 1946, 1243 Thurlow on the Vancouver Heritage Register.

A No. 14 Dunbar streetcar on Dunbar Street, past bungalows
1940 A No. 14 Dunbar streetcar on Dunbar Street, past bungalows. Not at the house at 3508 Dunbar: no archive photo of the 3500 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, 2009-005.530. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 6 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 Somertons

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Somerton 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.

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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.