A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Swensons
In the city directories 1940 · four people at four addresses
The directories print four people named Swenson 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 Swensons lived
- 1
1170 Barclay Street
West End, 1940
- A W Swenson, a managing director at Merchants Towel & Linen Supplies 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs E Milloy at 1134 and A Arnaud at 1172. The block, door by door
- 2
4743 Belmont Avenue
West Point Grey, 1940
- Anna M Swenson, widow of P 1940
Next door in 1940: B M Hoffmeister at 4749. The block, door by door
- 3
- 4
1270 Hornby Street
Downtown, 1940
- Carl Swenson, a longshoreman 1940
Next door in 1940: Spencer D Ltd (gar) at 1258 and A Davidson at 1276. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for three of the four: a helper, a longshoreman and a managing director. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Downtown, Fairview, 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 A W Swenson at 1170 Barclay Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists A Ward Swenson there as the householder, a managing director at Merchants Towel & Linen Supplies. The 1940 name section lists Anna M Swenson at 4743 Belmont Avenue, widow of P.
O G Swenson is listed at 2231 Birch Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Oliver G Swenson there as the householder, a helper for Sigurdson Millwork. The 1940 name section lists Carl Swenson at 1270 Hornby Street, a longshoreman.
Today
1170 Barclay still has its building from before 1946, dated 1926 by the City's record and on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 4743 Belmont (1992) and 1270 Hornby (2008) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 2231 Birch, so that building is probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 6 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Swenson A W1170 Barclay, p. 8
- Swenson A Ward mng dir Merchants Towel & Linen Supp1170 Barclay, p. 598
- Swenson Anna M wid P4743 Belmont, p. 598
- Swenson O G2231 Birch, p. 13
- Swenson Oliver G hlpr Sigurdson Millwork2231 Birch, p. 598
- Swenson Carl lngshmn1270 Hornby, p. 598
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Swensons
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Swenson 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.