Vancouver / Names / U / Urwin

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Urwins

In the city directories 1940 · six people at three addresses

The directories print six people named Urwin at three 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 Urwins at 1996 West 3rd 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 Urwins lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. One address isn't on today's map, so it has no pin. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    1246 East 11th Avenue

    Mount Pleasant, 1940

    • T Urwin 1940
    • James Urwin, an apprentice at Vancouver Motors 1940

    Next door in 1940: J M Cowan at 1240 and R B Timmins at 1248. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1996 West 3rd Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • J Urwin, a stores assistant at the BC Electric Railway 1940
    • Mrs Doris Urwin, proprietor of Victoria Lodge 1940
    • Norman H Urwin 1940

    Next door in 1940: 8 listings at 1992. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    1945 West 45th Avenue

    Kerrisdale, 1940

    • J W Urwin, a salesman at the BC Electric Railway 1940

    Next door in 1940: E A Lewis at 1937 and L Ratz at 1953. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for four of the six: an apprentice, a proprietor, a salesman and a stores assistant. Two of them worked for BC Electric Railway.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kerrisdale, Kitsilano and Mount Pleasant. 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 T Urwin at 1246 East 11th 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 Thomas Urwin there as the householder, with James Urwin, an apprentice at Vancouver Motors. In 1940 the directory lists J Urwin at 1996 West 3rd Avenue. The 1940 name section lists James Urwin there as the householder, a stores assistant at the BC Electric Railway, with Mrs Doris Urwin, proprietor of Victoria Lodge, and Norman H Urwin.

In 1940 the directory lists J W Urwin at 1945 West 45th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists J William Urwin there as the householder, a salesman at the BC Electric Railway.

Today

1945 West 45th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1925 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1246 East 11th and 1996 West 3rd, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 9 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 Urwins

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Urwin 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 U. Want a name removed? Tell us.