Vancouver / Names / S / Symons

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Symonses

In the city directories 1940 · twelve people at nine addresses

The directories print twelve people named Symons at nine addresses in 1940 in five of the city's neighbourhoods. 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 Symonses at 3110 West 2nd 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 Symonses 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

    3520 Blenheim Street

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • H E Symons, a helper at the Vivian Engineering Works 1940

    Next door in 1940: H E Tynan at 3508 and F S Clendenning at 3532. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    863 Prior Street

    Strathcona, 1940

    • Cecil D Symons, retired 1940

    Next door in 1940: G S Stewart at 857 and J Evans at 865. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    3066 West 11th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • W Symons, a department manager at Spencer's 1940

    Next door in 1940: C F Kydd at 3056 and B W Leeson at 3076. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    2985 West 12th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • W J Symons, an agent at Great West Life 1940

    Next door in 1940: M G Gilroy at 2975 and Mrs A Snudden at 2995. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    3570 West 19th Avenue

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • Claude W Symons, a brickman 1940

    Next door in 1940: J C Dietrich at 3560 and R C H McNally at 3576. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    1880 West 29th Avenue

    Shaughnessy, 1940

    • W W Symons, retired 1940

    Next door in 1940: A C DesBrisay at 1868 and W J Conway at 1892. The block, door by door

  7. 7

    3110 West 2nd Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • Don F Symons, a roofer 1940
    • Gordon K Symons, a barber 1940
    • Phyllis R Symons, a clerk at Woodward's 1940

    Next door in 1940: A S Smith at 3104 and J S McKay at 3116. The block, door by door

  8. 8

    1666 West 6th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • J H Symons, a laborer at West Coast Salvage 1940

    Next door in 1940: W J Stevens at 1654. The block, door by door

  9. 9

    1250 West Broadway

    Fairview, 1940

    • Mrs E Symons, widow of E 1940
    • Ralph Symons, a helper at Lawrence Manufacturing 1940

    Next door in 1940: Rose Ball Room White at 1236 and G Howell at 1274. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for nine of the twelve: a helper (2), an agent, a barber, a brickman, a clerk and a department manager, among others. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kitsilano (3), Dunbar-Southlands (2), Fairview (2), Shaughnessy 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

In 1940 the directory lists H E Symons at 3520 Blenheim 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 Harold E Symons there as the householder, a helper at the Vivian Engineering Works. The 1940 name section lists Cecil D Symons at 863 Prior Street, retired.

W Symons is listed at 3066 West 11th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists William Symons there as the householder, a department manager at Spencer's. W J Symons is listed at 2985 West 12th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists William J Symons there as the householder, an agent at Great West Life.

The 1940 name section lists Claude W Symons at 3570 West 19th Avenue, a brickman. In 1940 the directory lists W W Symons at 1880 West 29th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists William W Symons there as the householder, retired. The 1940 name section lists Don F Symons at 3110 West 2nd Avenue, a roofer, with Gordon K Symons, a barber, and Phyllis R Symons, a clerk at Woodward's.

J H Symons is listed at 1666 West 6th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists J Howard Symons there as the householder, a laborer at West Coast Salvage. Mrs E Symons is listed at 1250 West Broadway in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Elizabeth Symons there, widow of E, with Ralph Symons, a helper at Lawrence Manufacturing.

Today

863 Prior, 3066 West 11th, 2985 West 12th, 3570 West 19th, 1880 West 29th and 1666 West 6th still have their buildings from before 1946, 863 Prior on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 3520 Blenheim (1988) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 3110 West 2nd and 1250 West Broadway, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 18 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 Symonses

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Symons 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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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.