Vancouver / Names / W / Work

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Works

In the city directories 1940 · six people at five addresses

The directories print six people named Work at five 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.

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 Works 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

    3818 Victoria Drive

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • J Work, a helper at the CPR 1940

    Next door in 1940: G W Clapshew at 3806 and A Williamson at 3830. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    3421 West 26th Avenue

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • J R Work, a fitter at the CPR 1940
    • Edward J Work, a student 1940

    Next door in 1940: D P McDiarmid at 3413 and Mrs F Hill at 3431. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    686 West 8th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • J E Work 1940

    Next door in 1940: H J Billis at 676. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    562 West Broadway

    Fairview, 1940

    • J E Work, an attendant at the Exclusive Ambulance Service 1940

    Next door in 1940: J E Owen at 558 and J W Cooper at 564. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    924 West Broadway

    Fairview, 1940

    • Adelaide Work, widow of J 1940

    Next door in 1940: leyland apartments at 916 and broadway lodge at 934. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for three of the six: an attendant, a fitter and a helper. Two of them worked for CPR. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Fairview (3), Dunbar-Southlands and Kensington-Cedar Cottage. 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 J Work at 3818 Victoria Drive; 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 James Work there as the householder, a helper at the CPR. In 1940 the directory lists J R Work at 3421 West 26th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists James R Work there as the householder, a fitter at the CPR, with Edward J Work, a student.

In 1940 the directory lists J E Work at 686 West 8th Avenue. J E Work is listed at 562 West Broadway in 1940. The 1940 name section lists John E Work there as the householder, an attendant at the Exclusive Ambulance Service. The 1940 name section lists Adelaide Work at 924 West Broadway, widow of J.

Today

3818 Victoria Drive still has its building from before 1946, dated 1929 by the City's record; 3421 West 26th (1993) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 686 West 8th, 562 West Broadway and 924 West Broadway, 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 Works

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Work 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 W. Want a name removed? Tell us.