The 1940 directory lists five suites and households at 838 Smithe Street. Its name section lists five people here: George Gaw, a brickman; Isabelle J Headridge, widow of J; and three others. The street section prints one more name the name section doesn't list: W D Frith. Its name section lists two more people here under other surnames too.
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: 1940. The book reads the other 19 directories we hold. About $29 when orders open. The City Archives charges $25 a year searched, a house historian $300 to $550 or more.
- 8
- people the 1940 directory lists here, two of them named in the book
- Address gone
- today, by the City's records
In 1940
The street section
- W D Frithapartmentsp. 152
- Miss J E Lansdownesuite 1p. 152
- J H Sturrocksuite 2p. 152
- G Gawsuite 3p. 152
- Mrs I J Headridgesuite 4p. 152
The household
- George Gawa brickman · householder · suite 3p. 218
- Isabelle J Headridgewidow of J · householder · suite 4p. 263
- Janet E Lansdownea stenographer at Universal Appraisal · householder · suite 1p. 337
- John Sturrockretired · lives here · suite 2p. 593
- John H Sturrocka clerk at the West Hotel · householder · suite 2p. 593
Also at this address
- Two more peopleunder other surnames, with each one's work: in the book
Smithe Street is read from the 1940 directory, street section and name section, line by line.
1940British Columbia and Yukon Directory
Streets
SMITHE
- 838Frith W D aptsp. 152
- 8381Lansdowne Miss J Ep. 152
- 8382Sturrock J Hp. 152
- 8383Gaw Gp. 152
- 8384Headridge Mrs I Jp. 152
Names
The house today
Not one of the six addresses the 1940 directory lists on the 800 block of Smithe Street is on the City's list today, so the building at 838 is probably gone (inferred).
The 800 block in 1940
Smithe Street, Downtown: every door the 1940 directory lists on the block, the way it prints them, and what stands at each today. This house is marked in red.
Smithe Street, the 800 blockas the 1940 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
South side, even numbers
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.
838 Smithe Street, Downtown, Vancouver, is in the 1940 city directory. The City no longer lists the address.
Source: AddressLore, addresslore.com/house/838-smithe, from Vancouver's city directories (Vancouver Public Library) and City of Vancouver open data.

The book of 838 Smithe Street
Every directory, as one book
The book reads this address in each Vancouver directory we hold from 1901 to 1945: who lived here year by year, their work from the name sections, with the two people here in 1940 under other surnames whom this page doesn't name, the block around it, and the page behind every line, to read here or save as a PDF to print or give.
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Sources
The 1940 city directory (British Columbia and Yukon Directory), street and name sections, read by us line by line (Vancouver Public Library, BC City Directories); each line above 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. Something wrong, or a name you'd like removed? Tell us.