Vancouver / Names / T / Thomas / West 16th Avenue

A family name on West 16th Avenue, Fairview, Riley Park, Mount Pleasant, South Cambie, Shaughnessy, Kitsilano, Arbutus Ridge, Dunbar-Southlands and West Point Grey

The Thomases

In the city directories 1940 · five people at three addresses

The directories print five people named Thomas at three addresses in 1940, all on West 16th Avenue, with the close spelling Thoms. 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 Thomases at 1905 West 16th in 1940. The directories print the name on 126 other streets too, all listed on the Thomas name's own page.

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 Thomases 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

    937 West 16th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • O E Thomas, a salesman for Coyle Batteries 1940

    Next door in 1940: T E Collins at 935 and Mrs K E Gove at 949. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1905 West 16th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • E W Thomas, a salesman for H A Roberts 1940
    • Doug F Thomas, a salesman at Shell Oil 1940
    • R Daryl Thomas 1940

    Next door in 1940: Dr J Nay at 1915. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    4523 West 16th Avenue

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • Mrs M J Thomas, a school teacher 1940

    Next door in 1940: C V Kay at 4517 and G S Emerick at 4533. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for four of the five: a salesman (3) and a school teacher.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Fairview, Kitsilano 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 O E Thomas at 937 West 16th Avenue; 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 Oscar E Thomas there as the householder, a salesman for Coyle Batteries. In 1940 the directory lists E W Thomas at 1905 West 16th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists E Webb Thomas there as the householder, a salesman for H A Roberts, with Doug F Thomas, a salesman at Shell Oil, and R Daryl Thomas.

In 1940 the directory lists Mrs M J Thomas at 4523 West 16th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Mrs Margaret J Thomas there as the householder, a school teacher.

Today

1905 West 16th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1912 by the City's record; 4523 West 16th (2014) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 937 West 16th, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

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, street section

The book of the Thomases

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Thomas 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 T. Want a name removed? Tell us.