Vancouver / Names / T / Thain

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Thains

In the city directories 1940 · seven people at four addresses

The directories print seven people named Thain at four addresses in 1940 in three 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 Thains at 8949 Hudson 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 Thains 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

    8949 Hudson Street

    Marpole, 1940

    • Doris M Thain, a waitress for Marpole Cafe 1940
    • James Thain, who worked for Marpole Cafe 1940
    • Mrs Mary E Thain, proprietor of Marpole Cafe 1940

    Next door in 1940: Marpole Cafe at 8945 and Dominion Gro at 8977. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1158 Melville Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • Harry Thain, a news vendor 1940

    Next door in 1940: F Pearson at 1146 and Miss H M Hesson at 1164. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    1190 West 12th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • H S Thain, a mining engineer 1940
    • Eileen R Thain 1940

    Next door in 1940: randolph apartments at 1176. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    1086 West 6th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • Alex Thain, a fitter at the Vivian Engineering Works 1940

    Next door in 1940: “Cabins” at 1024 and Vivian Eng Wks at 1090. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for six of the seven: an employee, a fitter, a mining engineer, a news vendor, a proprietor and a waitress. Three of them worked for Marpole Cafe.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Fairview (2), Downtown and Marpole. 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 Doris M Thain at 8949 Hudson Street, a waitress for Marpole Cafe, with James Thain, who worked for Marpole Cafe, and Mrs Mary E Thain, proprietor of Marpole Cafe. The 1940 name section lists Harry Thain at 1158 Melville Street, a news vendor. In 1940 the directory lists H S Thain at 1190 West 12th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Harry S Thain there as the householder, a mining engineer, with Eileen R Thain.

The 1940 name section lists Alex Thain at 1086 West 6th Avenue, a fitter at the Vivian Engineering Works.

Today

1190 West 12th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1923 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 8949 Hudson, 1158 Melville and 1086 West 6th, so those buildings are 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 8949 Hudson: no archive photo of the 8900 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, LGN 994. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 8 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
1940

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, name section, where each person's work is printed

The book of the Thains

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Thain 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.

One email, when it's ready. We use your email for nothing else and never share it. Privacy

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 T. Want a name removed? Tell us.