A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Trainers
In the city directories 1940 · two people at two addresses
The directories print two people named Trainer at two addresses in 1940 in two of the city's neighbourhoods. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: we can't tell if they're one family.
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 Trainers lived
- 1
472 Alexander Street
Strathcona, 1940
- James Trainer 1940
Next door in 1940: K Kawamoto at 422 and Yamasan at 474. The block, door by door
- 2
3339 Napier Street
Hastings-Sunrise, 1940
- P U Trainer, retired 1940
Next door in 1940: F H Smith at 3331 and R Mansfield at 3369. The block, door by door
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Hastings-Sunrise 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
The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists James Trainer at 472 Alexander Street. P U Trainer is listed at 3339 Napier Street 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). The 1940 name section lists Patrick U Trainer there as the householder, retired, with Patrick Trainer.
Today
3339 Napier still has its building from before 1946, dated 1911 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 472 Alexander, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed
All 4 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Trainer Jas472 Alexander, p. 617
- *Trainer P U3339 Napier, p. 118
- Trainer Patk3339 Napier, p. 617
- Trainer Patk U retired3339 Napier, p. 617
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, name section, where each person's work is printed
The book of the Trainers
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Trainer 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.
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.