Vancouver / Names / S / Symon

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Symons

In the city directories 1940 · two people at two addresses

The directories print two people named Symon 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 Symons 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

    1058 Nelson Street

    West End, 1940

    • A Symon, retired 1940

    Next door in 1940: Star Garage at 1042 and L E Collum at 1070. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1841 West 8th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • R Symon, a sheet metal worker 1940

    Next door in 1940: J B Gledhill at 1835 and J J B Stewart at 1843. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for one of the two: a sheet metal worker.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kitsilano and West End. 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 Symon at 1058 Nelson Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Alex Symon there as the householder, retired. In 1940 the directory lists R Symon at 1841 West 8th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Ron Symon there, a sheet metal worker.

Today

1058 Nelson still has its building from before 1946, dated 1911 by the City's record and on the Vancouver Heritage Register; the City no longer lists 1841 West 8th, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Nelson Street, a wide street of houses behind hedges
About 1915 Nelson Street, a wide street of houses behind hedges. Not at the house at 1058 Nelson: no archive photo of the 1000 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, Str P181.2. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 4 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 Symons

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Symon 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.