Vancouver / Names / S / Syme

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Symes

In the city directories 1940 · three people at two addresses

The directories print three people named Syme at two addresses in 1940 in two of the city's neighbourhoods. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: 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 Symes lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. One address isn't on today's map, so it has no pin. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    8208 Hudson Street

    Marpole, 1940

    • J Syme, a millworker 1940
    • Thomas D Syme, a student 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs E E McKinley at 8250. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    3766 West 10th Avenue

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • Mrs M Syme, widow of J 1940

    Next door in 1940: Westpoint Meat Mkt & Delctsn at 3764. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for one of the three: a millworker. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Marpole 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 J Syme at 8208 Hudson Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists James Syme there as the householder, a salesman, with James A Syme, a millworker, and Thomas D Syme, a student. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs M Syme at 3766 West 10th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Mary Syme there as the householder, widow of J.

Today

8208 Hudson (1993) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 3766 West 10th, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Hudson Street looking south toward the Eburne station, past the Hotel Eburne and parked cars
The 1910s Hudson Street looking south toward the Eburne station, past the Hotel Eburne and parked cars. Not at the house at 8208 Hudson: no archive photo of the 8200 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, LGN 994. 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 Symes

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Syme 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.