Vancouver / Names / B / Beckwith

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Beckwiths

In the city directories 1940 · five people at four addresses

The directories print five people named Beckwith at four addresses in 1940 in four 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 Beckwiths 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

    456 East 17th Avenue

    Riley Park, 1940

    • W H Beckwith, a carpenter at the CPR 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs A Edgar at 450 and D J Macdonald at 462. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    2112 East 40th Avenue

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • F A Beckwith, a fireman at the CPR 1940

    Next door in 1940: J S Finlayson at 2120. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    532 Prior Street

    Strathcona, 1940

    • Mayhew E Beckwith 1940

    Next door in 1940: C A Johnson at 520 and “Cabins” at 536. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    706 West 17th Avenue

    South Cambie, 1940

    • C Beckwith, a carpenter 1940
    • Arthur K Beckwith, an apprentice at Vancouver Motors 1940

    Next door in 1940: Miss E E Steven at 726. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for four of the five: a carpenter (2), an apprentice and a fireman. Two of them worked for CPR.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Riley Park, South Cambie and Strathcona. 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 W H Beckwith at 456 East 17th 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 William H Beckwith there as the householder, a carpenter at the CPR. In 1940 the directory lists F A Beckwith at 2112 East 40th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Frank A Beckwith there as the householder, a fireman at the CPR.

The 1940 name section lists Mayhew E Beckwith at 532 Prior Street. C Beckwith is listed at 706 West 17th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Cecil Beckwith there as the householder, a carpenter, with Arthur K Beckwith, an apprentice at Vancouver Motors.

Today

456 East 17th and 532 Prior still have their buildings from before 1946; 2112 East 40th (1974) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 706 West 17th, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 8 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 Beckwiths

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Beckwith 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 B. Want a name removed? Tell us.