Vancouver / Names / W / Wray

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Wrays

In the city directories 1940 · 13 people at eleven addresses

The directories print 13 people named Wray at eleven addresses in 1940 in nine 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 Wrays at 1047 Comox 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 Wrays lived

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

    2049 Adanac Street

    Grandview-Woodland, 1940

    • Mrs L Wray, widow of R 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs N E Campbell at 2043 and M Schleibinger at 2055. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    3278 Adanac Street

    Hastings-Sunrise, 1940

    • W Wray, a janitor at the BC Electric Railway 1940

    Next door in 1940: J H Galbraith at 3244. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    2341 Alberta Street

    Mount Pleasant, 1940

    • Rose Wray, a clerk at Spencer's 1940

    Next door in 1940: E E Sykes at 2337. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    5587 Bruce Street

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • G L Wray, a driver 1940

    Next door in 1940: N Westin at 5569 and H P Patterson at 5597. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    1047 Comox Street

    West End, 1940

    • Mrs R E Wray, widow of J R 1940
    • Don E Wray, a timekeeper at McKenzie Barge & Derrick 1940
    • Robert F Wray, an accountant at F Field & Co 1940

    Next door in 1940: bonaventure apts at 1041 and D D MacLeod at 1051. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    1716 Drummond Drive

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • Patrick A Wray, a valet for A L Benjamin 1940

    Next door in 1940: L W Edgett at 1750. The block, door by door

  7. 7

    8685 Laurel Street

    Marpole, 1940

    • H Wray, retired 1940

    Next door in 1940: W C Keeley at 8695. The block, door by door

  8. 8

    6087 Trafalgar Street

    Kerrisdale, 1940

    • Emily Wray, a housekeeper at T E Marshall 1940

    Next door in 1940: W D Brady at 6061. The block, door by door

  9. 9

    2163 West 2nd Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • George E Wray, a department manager 1940

    Next door in 1940: C McK Marmont at 2153 and Miss K Warman at 2177. The block, door by door

  10. 10

    4502 West 4th Avenue

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • Rev T J Wray, retired 1940

    Next door in 1940: F C Stearman at 4506. The block, door by door

  11. 11

    2726 West 6th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • Mrs A Wray, widow of C 1940

    Next door in 1940: A J Kellner at 2722 and W U Lybarger at 2732. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for eight of the 13: an accountant, a clerk, a department manager, a driver, a housekeeper and a janitor, among others. Three are widows, listed under their own names.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kitsilano (2), West Point Grey (2), Grandview-Woodland, Hastings-Sunrise, Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Kerrisdale, Marpole, Mount Pleasant and West End. 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 L Wray at 2049 Adanac Street; 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 Lizzie Wray there as the householder, widow of R.

In June 1928 William Wray took out the permit to build a house at 3278 Adanac Street. In 1940 the directory lists W Wray at 3278 Adanac Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists William Wray there as the householder, a janitor at the BC Electric Railway. The 1940 name section lists Rose Wray at 2341 Alberta Street, a clerk at Spencer's.

G L Wray is listed at 5587 Bruce Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists George L Wray there as the householder, a driver. Mrs R E Wray is listed at 1047 Comox Street in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Rhoda E Wray there as the householder, widow of J R, with Don E Wray, a timekeeper at McKenzie Barge & Derrick, and Robert F Wray, an accountant at F Field & Co.

The 1940 name section lists Patrick A Wray at 1716 Drummond Drive, a valet for A L Benjamin. In 1940 the directory lists H Wray at 8685 Laurel Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Henry Wray there as the householder, retired. The 1940 name section lists Emily Wray at 6087 Trafalgar Street, a housekeeper at T E Marshall.

The 1940 name section lists George E Wray at 2163 West 2nd Avenue, a department manager. In 1940 the directory lists Rev T J Wray at 4502 West 4th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Rev T Jackson Wray there as the householder, retired.

In 1940 the directory lists Mrs A Wray at 2726 West 6th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Anna Wray there as the householder, widow of C.

Today

1716 Drummond Drive, 6087 Trafalgar and 2726 West 6th still have their buildings from before 1946; 3278 Adanac (2003) and 5587 Bruce (2002) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 2049 Adanac, 2341 Alberta, 1047 Comox, 8685 Laurel, 2163 West 2nd and 4502 West 4th, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Comox Street looking east from Denman, lined with cut-back boulevard trees
1925 Comox Street looking east from Denman, lined with cut-back boulevard trees. Not at the house at 1047 Comox: no archive photo of the 1000 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 357-1. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 20 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 Wrays

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Wray 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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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.