Vancouver / Names / T / Thomas / West 8th Avenue

A family name on West 8th Avenue, Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, Fairview and West Point Grey

The Thomases

In the city directories 1940 · six people at four addresses

The directories print six people named Thomas at four addresses in 1940, all on West 8th 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 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

    552 West 8th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • Mrs S Thomas, widow of T J 1940
    • William Thomas 1940

    Next door in 1940: G H McCartney at 544 and E Williams at 574. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1641 West 8th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • E Thomas, retired 1940
    • James D Thomas, a student 1940

    Next door in 1940: T Taylor at 1631 and L E Thomas at 1653. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    1653 West 8th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • L E Thomas, a guard at BC Pen 1940

    Next door in 1940: E Thomas at 1641 and E McCann at 1665. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    4340 West 8th Avenue

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • Mrs H L Thomas, widow of J 1940

    Next door in 1940: W Allan at 4334 and E B Sparkes at 4348. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for one of the six: a guard. Two are widows, listed under their own names.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Fairview (3) 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 Mrs S Thomas at 552 West 8th Avenue. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Sarah Thomas there as the householder, widow of T J, with William Thomas. In 1940 the directory lists E Thomas at 1641 West 8th 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 lists Edward Thomas there as the householder, retired, with James D Thomas, a student.

In 1940 the directory lists L E Thomas at 1653 West 8th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Laurence E Thomas there as the householder, a guard at BC Pen. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs H L Thomas at 4340 West 8th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Harriet L Thomas there as the householder, widow of J.

Today

4340 West 8th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1921 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 552 West 8th, 1641 West 8th and 1653 West 8th, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 10 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.

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.