A family name on Ontario Street, Riley Park, Mount Pleasant, Oakridge, Sunset and Marpole
The Davidsons
In the city directories 1940 · four people at three addresses
The directories print four people named Davidson at three addresses in 1940, all on Ontario Street. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The directories print the name on 112 other streets too, all listed on the Davidson name's own page.
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 Davidsons lived
- 1
3668 Ontario Street
Riley Park, 1940
- G Davidson, a car repairer at the BC Electric Railway 1940
- Helen Davidson, a saleswoman at Canadian Wind Bakeries 1940
Next door in 1940: H A Gordon at 3656 and G Davison at 3694. The block, door by door
- 2
4106 Ontario Street
Riley Park, 1940
- Mrs I Davidson, widow of W 1940
Next door in 1940: S M Demoray at 4130. The block, door by door
- 3
5755 Ontario Street
Oakridge, 1940
- James Davidson, a secretary at Coast Quarries 1940
Next door in 1940: G M Jolley at 5737. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for three of the four: a car repairer, a saleswoman and a secretary. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Riley Park (2) and Oakridge. 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 G Davidson at 3668 Ontario 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 George Davidson there as the householder, a car repairer at the BC Electric Railway, with Helen Davidson, a saleswoman at Canadian Wind Bakeries. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs I Davidson at 4106 Ontario Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Isabella Davidson there as the householder, widow of W.
The 1940 name section lists James Davidson at 5755 Ontario Street, a secretary at Coast Quarries.
Today
3668 Ontario still has its building from before 1946, dated 1910 by the City's record; 4106 Ontario (2004) and 5755 Ontario (1989) have newer buildings, by the City's record.
Every line as printed
All 6 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Davidson G3668 Ontario, p. 122
- Davidson Geo car repr BCER3668 Ontario, p. 149
- Davidson Helen slswm Can Wind Bkries3668 Ontario, p. 149
- *Davidson Mrs I4106 Ontario, p. 122
- Davidson Isabella wid W4106 Ontario, p. 149
- Davidson Jas sec Coast Quarries5755 Ontario, p. 149
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Davidsons
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Davidson 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.
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 D. Want a name removed? Tell us.