A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Sparrows
In the city directories 1940 · 15 people at eleven addresses
The directories print 15 people named Sparrow at eleven addresses in 1940 in nine of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling Sparrowe. 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 Sparrows at 1026 West 13th in 1940.
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 Sparrows lived
- 1
- 2
1025 Davie Street
West End, 1940
- Ernest Sparrow 1940
Next door in 1940: W A Tiberg at 1019 and E D Jean at 1027. The block, door by door
- 3
1166 East 14th Avenue
Mount Pleasant, 1940
- O J Sparrow, a salesman at Norfolk Paper 1940
- Ellenor V Sparrow, who worked for Dads Cookie Co 1940
Next door in 1940: H Smith at 1156 and J G Barringer at 1172. The block, door by door
- 4
1305 East 17th Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- A L Sparrow, a clerk at the Post Office 1940
- William J Sparrow, an oiler at the BC Coast Steamship Service 1940
Next door in 1940: H A Bowron at 1315. The block, door by door
- 5
241 East Hastings Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Archibald Sparrow 1940
Next door in 1940: F S Hikida at 239 and Miss P Gordon at 245. The block, door by door
- 6
790 Howe Street
Downtown, 1940
- Omar F Sparrow, a manager for Christie Brown 1940
Next door in 1940: Brand J & Co at 782. The block, door by door
- 7
1165 Nelson Street
West End, 1940
- G Sparrow, a waiter at the CPR 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs A B Stone at 1157 and Mrs E R Forbes at 1169. The block, door by door
- 8
1600 Robson Street
West End, 1940
- Chris Sparrow 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs L Sorby at 1602. The block, door by door
- 9
1026 West 13th Avenue
Fairview, 1940
- F B Sparrowe, a bookkeeper at J L Northey & Co 1940
- Marion I B Sparrowe, a radio artist 1940
- Mrs Ruth Sparrowe, proprietor of Salad Shop 1940
Next door in 1940: T H Jagger at 1016 and Mrs M Moore at 1036. The block, door by door
- 10
995 West 23rd Avenue
South Cambie, 1940
- W Sparrow, proprietor of Oak Street Meat Market 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs E Thomson at 993. The block, door by door
- 11
2123 William Street
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- G E Sparrow, a postman 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs H Pearson at 2117 and G T Rooke at 2129. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for twelve of the 15: a proprietor (2), a bookkeeper, a clerk, an employee, a maid and a manager, among others.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in West End (3), Downtown, Fairview, Grandview-Woodland, Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Mount Pleasant, Shaughnessy, South Cambie and Strathcona. 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
The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Anne Sparrow at 1437 Connaught Drive, a maid for C Clarke. The 1940 name section lists Ernest Sparrow at 1025 Davie Street. In 1940 the directory lists O J Sparrow at 1166 East 14th Avenue; 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 lists Oscar J Sparrow there as the householder, a salesman at Norfolk Paper, with Ellenor V Sparrow, who worked for Dads Cookie Co.
In 1940 the directory lists A L Sparrow at 1305 East 17th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Albert L Sparrow there as the householder, a clerk at the Post Office, with William J Sparrow, an oiler at the BC Coast Steamship Service. The 1940 name section lists Archibald Sparrow at 241 East Hastings Street. The 1940 name section lists Omar F Sparrow at 790 Howe Street, a manager for Christie Brown.
The 1940 name section lists G Sparrow at 1165 Nelson Street, a waiter at the CPR. The 1940 name section lists Chris Sparrow at 1600 Robson Street. In 1940 the directory lists F B Sparrowe at 1026 West 13th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Frank B Sparrowe there as the householder, a bookkeeper at J L Northey & Co, with Marion I B Sparrowe, a radio artist, and Mrs Ruth Sparrowe, proprietor of Salad Shop.
In 1940 the directory lists W Sparrow at 995 West 23rd Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists William Sparrow there as the householder, proprietor of Oak Street Meat Market. In 1940 the directory lists G E Sparrow at 2123 William Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists George E Sparrow there as the householder, a postman.
Today
1166 East 14th, 1305 East 17th, 241 East Hastings and 2123 William still have their buildings from before 1946; 1437 Connaught Drive (1993) and 1026 West 13th (1957) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1025 Davie, 790 Howe, 1165 Nelson, 1600 Robson and 995 West 23rd, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 20 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Sparrow Anne maid C Clarke1437 Connaught Drive, p. 578
- Sparrow Ernest1025 Davie, p. 578
- *Sparrow O J1166 East 14th, p. 214
- Sparrow Ellenor V emp Dads Cookie Co1166 East 14th, p. 578
- Sparrow Oscar J slsmn Norfolk Paper1166 East 14th, p. 578
- *Sparrow A L1305 East 17th, p. 224
- Sparrow Albt L clk PO1305 East 17th, p. 578
- Sparrow Wm J oiler BCCSS1305 East 17th, p. 578
- Sparrow Arch241 East Hastings, p. 578
- Sparrow Omar F mgr Christie Brown790 Howe, p. 578
- Sparrow G waiter CPR1165 Nelson, p. 578
- Sparrow Chris1600 Robson, p. 578
- Sparrowe F B1026 West 13th, p. 211
- Sparrowe Frank B bkpr J L Northey & Co1026 West 13th, p. 578
- Sparrowe Marion I B radio artist1026 West 13th, p. 578
- Sparrowe Mrs Ruth prop Salad Shop1026 West 13th, p. 578
- *Sparrow W995 West 23rd, p. 237
- Sparrow Wm prop Oak Street Meat Mkt995 West 23rd, p. 578
- *Sparrow G E2123 William, p. 168
- Sparrow Geo E postmn2123 William, p. 578
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, name section, where each person's work is printed
The book of the Sparrows
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Sparrow 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.