Vancouver / Keefer Street / Strathcona

Strathcona, Vancouver

797 Keefer Street

In the city directories 1915–1955.

Kirby Block apartments is listed here from 1935 to 1945. In 1940 the name section gives this address for Mrs Martha Carlson, a waitress for Stockholm Cafe; Kai Wing Chuey, a cook; Mrs Angelina De Camillis, proprietor of Kirby Block; Mario De Julius, a warehouseman at Shanahan's; William Eng, a driver; Mrs Mabel Jenns, an operator at North West Sack; and Charles V Wege, proprietor of Wege Motors (page 97, page 110, page 154, page 155, page 184, page 303, page 648; joined to the 1935, 1940 and 1945 listings, where the first name or initials agree, inferred).

Reserve this house's book, freeIts history in every directory we hold from 1901 to 1945, each line with its page, to read here or save as a PDF. Read for this address so far: 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1940 and 1945. The book reads the other 14 directories we hold. About $29 when orders open. The City Archives charges $25 a year searched, a house historian $300 to $550 or more.

Who lived here

Read every ten years. Each chapter is one surname at this address across the directories, so it can be more than one family; tap a name for its directory page, or follow the name to every address it's printed at. After 1945 the directories' names aren't shown.

  1. Not in the directory
    1905
  2. I
    5 listings5 to 7 listings a year
    1915–1925
  3. II
    Kirby Block apts7 to 10 listings a year
    1935–1955

A ribbon marks the chapters the book adds to: everyone the directory's name section lists at this address that year, with their work, and the page behind every line. See what it holds, or quote this house.

by 1915
first listed in the directories
35
names listed in its suites, 1915–1945
Address gone
today, by the City's records

The building

Most of its directory years list it as a building rather than a household. From 1915 to 1925 it is a building of suites or rooms, with 5 to 7 listings a year. From 1935 to 1955 it is a building of suites or rooms, Kirby Block apts, with 7 to 10 listings a year.

Also at this address in 1940, the name section lists David De Camillis, a driver at Rose's Transfer; and Robert De Camillis, a musician (page 154). They share the household's surname, but no first name or initial ties them to the listing here before or after: we can't tell if they are the same family, so we keep them apart.

Today

The 1955 directory, the last we read still has seven listings there, and the City's list of addresses no longer has 797 Keefer Street, so the building is probably gone (inferred). Next door, 795 still has its building from before 1946, one of eleven on the block.

The Wong Wing Fong family on Keefer Street
1914 The Wong Wing Fong family on Keefer Street. Not at this house: no archive photo of the 700 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, 2021-034.288, photo by Yucho Chow Studio. Public domain.
Keefer StFalse CreekBurrard InletSTRATHCONADOWNTOWNMain StClark DrTerminal AvePowell StClose
797 Keefer Street is on the 700 block of Keefer Street, in red, in Strathcona. Beside this: the whole city, with the map above boxed in red. Today's streets, shoreline, parks and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).

The neighbours

The 700 block of Keefer Street, door by door, the way the directory prints it. This house is marked in red; pick a year to read who lived at every door.

Keefer Street, the 700 blockas the 1905 directory lists it, door by dooras the 1915 directory lists it, door by dooras the 1925 directory lists it, door by dooras the 1935 directory lists it, door by dooras the 1940 directory lists it, door by dooras the 1945 directory lists it, door by dooras the 1955 directory lists it, door by door, and what stands there today

*: some member of the family owns the property, to the best of our knowledge (the directory's own mark, printed from 1935)

North side, odd numbers

  1. 711Allardyce, Thomas“Chinese”Nakatsukai KNakatsuka IAvenue Dye Wks +1Wilson Ra householdstands
  2. 715Archer, —Deakoff JohnWalters Mrs EWalter B*Walters B*Walters B*a householdstands
  3. 721Fowler, C. M.Tomo FrankBuckshon J*Tiilikana T*Tiilikana T*Tiilikana Ta householdstands
  4. 727“Cabins”“Cabins”“Cabins”“Cabins”*“Cabins”*“Cabins”stands
  5. 733False Creek GroceryB C Distribs Co +1“Orientals”Can Nichiren Buddhist Ch +1Creer C H*a householdstands
  6. 737Caldwell, J. A.Caldwell John AvacantByman O*Oja AJohnson Mrs Ea householdrebuilt
  7. 743Doig, William“Chinese”“Japanese”Okimura MOkimura MNiemi P Ja householdstands
  8. 747Elsom, Albertvacantnot listedWoo Mrs LWoo Mrs L*Osterback Aa householdstands
  9. 751Lasbury, Georgevacant“Japanese”Lee C TMoy Soccupied, no name givena householdstands
  10. 753Mason, JohnErickson Ernest AStephen W“Orientals”Gee JoeRuoho Ea householdstands
  11. 765Toso Mrs Cnot listedGentile Miss Cnot listedrebuilt
  12. 767vacantvacant +1vacant*Yugoslav Educational Home +3rebuilt
  13. 783Drost, John T.Pursell Joseph ELind AOja Mrs E*Sudar JLee Gvacantrebuilt
  14. 791Harding T WSpreckley Mrs E*Zablosky Mrs MFrost Ja householdstands
  15. 795Kirby, GeorgeBurthe Mrs —Condren HEast End RealtyNelsen & Conot listeda householdstands
  16. 797Olin Otto +4Apartments +6Kirby Block apts +8Kirby Block +7*Kirby Block +9Kirby Blk apts +6gone
  17. 799Smith Geo HChong Yew CoBevilacqua LLee Chong TaiKeefer GroKeefer Gro +1gone

South side, even numbers

  1. 702Cobeldeck, JohnGogowris BHary GLoxton JNeighborhood StoreLane HHenry's Grogone
  2. 708MacLean, James T.Hoskins Mrs GracePavlukoff J“Orientals”*Baltman B*Baltman Ba householdgone
  3. 710Rowley, Joseph P.vacantBrekson S*Linn C*Linn C*Anderson Aa householdmerged
  4. 722Summerville, WilliamRalph DanlTerho A*Terho A*Veralainen Mrs E S*Luhtala C*a householdgone
  5. 726Griffiths, DellCarroll Mrs EmmavacantRubich M*Butorac M*Jang Ha householdgone
  6. 730Gibbons, J. W.vacant“Chinese”“Orientals”Lee W HEng W*a householdgone
  7. 734Fraser, Simon P.Victoria Dye Works +10Eagle Apts +6Eagle Apts +4Eagle Apts +14Eagle Apts +13Eagle Apts +12gone
  8. 742Monk, Frank“Foreigners”“Chinese”“Orientals”Isoshima SJeskay R*a householdgone
  9. 746Carnie, EbenezerAnsell Edwin GMcClatchey WBesnick ABesnick ABesnick A B*a householdgone
  10. 750Constantine, CharlesLeslie ThosOlsen AHiggins DNicol HNichol Hvacantgone
  11. 752“Cabins”not listed“Orientals”Miharija JGreening Kena householdgone
  12. 770Gibbs, Walternot listedoccupied, no name given“Orientals”*Manestar J*Liega Ba householdgone
  13. 778Yarco, August“Foreigners”Hite H*Augustino FAugustino Mrs MAugustine Mrs M*a householdgone
  14. 784Reid, Herbert E.Hewson Wmoccupied, no name given*Carvetta R*Zajac A*Zajac A*a household +1gone
  15. 792Rahy Richd NRahy R*Rahy R*Rahy Mrs EHarding J Sa householdgone
  16. 796Harris, WilliamGaston JohnNordin A*Zitko J*Zitko J*Zitko J*a householdgone
Who stayed on the 700 block: of the addresses with a named household in both directories, how many still had the same surname ten years on. A filled house kept its family.

The record

Each directory's listing for this address, as printed, with its page at the Vancouver Public Library. *: some member of the family owns the property, to the best of our knowledge (the directory's own mark, printed from 1935).

1905

Not in the directory this year.

Henderson's City of Vancouver Directory

1915

No job on this line: the 1915 directory prints work in its name section, under Olin (near p. 430), Stewart (near p. 533), Hanley (near p. 237), Quinby (p. 465) and Swanson (near p. 544).

Reader's note: Listed under the 797 Apartments.

Henderson's Greater Vancouver City Directory, p. 98

1925

No job on this line: the 1925 directory prints work in its name section, under McDonald (near p. 9), Harris (near p. 299), Anderson (near p. 16), Fingzies (near p. 248), Young (near p. 264) and McArthur (near p. 50).

Wrigley-Henderson Amalgamated British Columbia Directory, p. 71

1935

No job on this line: the 1935 directory prints work in its name section, under Valente (near p. 182), De Camillis (near p. 155), Arffman (near p. 15), Fong (near p. 203), Young (near p. 237), Smyth (near p. 127), Tuominen (near p. 174) and Aelby (near p. 5).

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, p. 88

1940

No job on this line: the 1940 directory prints work in its name section, under Jenns (near p. 301), De Camillis (near p. 154), Wege (near p. 644), Eng (near p. 184), De Julius (near p. 154), Carlson (near p. 98) and Chuey (near p. 109).

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, p. 94

1945

No job on this line: the 1945 directory prints work in its name section, under Paupera (near p. 513), De Camillis (near p. 162), Pavan (near p. 513), Suojanes (near p. 633), Ponak (near p. 528), Mathews (near p. 446), Koski (near p. 347), Steel (near p. 622) and Ming (near p. 460).

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, p. 85

1955
  • Kirby Blk aptsbuilding
  • 1a household
  • 2a household
  • 3a household
  • 4a household
  • 5a household
  • 6a household

7 listings. Names of residents after 1945 aren't shown; businesses and buildings are.

Vancouver and New Westminster City Directory, p. 131

Quote this house

One line with its source, for a listing, a talk or a family tree. A link to this page shows the card below wherever it's shared.

797 Keefer Street, Strathcona, Vancouver, is in the city directories from 1915 to 1955; the De Camillis name is listed there from 1935 to 1945. The City no longer lists the address.

Source: AddressLore, addresslore.com/house/797-keefer, from Vancouver's city directories (Vancouver Public Library) and City of Vancouver open data.

Download the share card

The share card for 797 Keefer Street

The history of

797Keefer Street

Strathcona, 1915–1955

A PDF to keep, print or give

The book of 797 Keefer Street

What the book adds to this page

This page, free

  • Who the street section lists here, 1915–1945, and the work the 1940 directory prints beside a name
  • The neighbours door by door, one year at a time
  • An archive photo of Keefer Street
  • The building today, and each year's page at the library

The book adds

  • Each resident's work and employer, line by line from the directories' name section, and nine people it lists here that the street section leaves out
  • Its two households as chapters, told in our words
  • The 700 block in all seven directories at once, every door
  • The page behind every line, both sections, listed at the back
  • One book, to read here or save as a PDF to print or give

Its contents

  1. The house
  2. Plate I, Keefer Street in an archive photo1914
  3. I5 listings, with everyone the name section lists1915–1925
  4. IIKirby Block apts, with everyone the name section lists1935–1955
  5. Also at this address1940
  6. The 700 block, decade by decade1905–1955
  7. The house today
  8. Sources, page by page
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Sources

Henderson's and successor city directories for Vancouver, 1905–1955, street sections, read by us line by line (Vancouver Public Library, BC City Directories); each year in the record links its page. Today's buildings: City of Vancouver Open Data (property tax report 2026, property addresses, Vancouver Heritage Register; Open Government Licence – Vancouver). The City's year built is BC Assessment's figure and can be approximate for old houses. Building permits: Heritage Vancouver Society's transcription of the City's permit registers, 1901–1930, gives none we can tie to 797 Keefer Street; its database may have one under another number. Goad's 1912 fire insurance map doesn't print 797 on Keefer Street, so we haven't marked a lot for it: a wrong lot would be worse than none. The photo of Keefer Street: City of Vancouver Archives, public domain, credited under it. Filed under this address at the City of Vancouver Archives: [797 Keefer Street], Mar. 1974 (CVA 1095-02485; photo, under copyright: view at the Archives). Something wrong, or a name you'd like removed? Tell us.