Vancouver / Names / T / Torrance

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Torrances

In the city directories 1940 · eight people at five addresses

The directories print eight people named Torrance at five addresses in 1940 in two 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 Torrances at 944 West Broadway 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 Torrances 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

    2042 Stephens Street

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • Mrs J B Torrance, widow of A E 1940
    • A Paul Torrance 1940

    Next door in 1940: J M MacKenzie at 2036 and C H Murphy at 2048. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    2245 West 14th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • Norval W Torrance, an upholsterer 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs C Knight at 2235 and Mrs R G Dagg at 2255. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    2425 West 4th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • P Torrance 1940

    Next door in 1940: cornwall lodge apts at 2415. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    2425 West 5th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • P Torrance, a salesman 1940

    Next door in 1940: F P Nickerson at 2415 and G R Northey at 2435. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    944 West Broadway

    Fairview, 1940

    • Mrs L Torrance, widow of J 1940
    • James E Torrance, a manager at Consolidated Amusement Co 1940
    • Joseph M Torrance, a carpenter 1940

    Next door in 1940: broadway lodge at 934 and R H Tweedy at 952. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for four of the eight: a carpenter, a manager, a salesman and an upholsterer. Two are widows, listed under their own names.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kitsilano (4) and Fairview. 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 J B Torrance at 2042 Stephens Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists J Blanche Torrance there as the householder, widow of A E, with A Paul Torrance. The 1940 name section lists Norval W Torrance at 2245 West 14th Avenue, an upholsterer. P Torrance is listed at 2425 West 4th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked *: some member of the family owns the property, to the best of our knowledge (the directory's own mark).

In 1940 the directory lists P Torrance at 2425 West 5th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Peter Torrance there as the householder, a salesman. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs L Torrance at 944 West Broadway; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Louisa Torrance there as the householder, widow of J, with James E Torrance, a manager at Consolidated Amusement Co, and Joseph M Torrance, a carpenter.

Today

2042 Stephens and 2425 West 5th still have their buildings from before 1946, 2425 West 5th on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 2245 West 14th (1986) and 2425 West 4th (1994) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 944 West Broadway, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 11 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 Torrances

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Torrance 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.