Vancouver / Names / G / Gay

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Gays

In the city directories 1940 · 16 people at twelve addresses

The directories print 16 people named Gay at twelve addresses in 1940 in ten 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 Gays 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

    5741 Chester Street

    Sunset, 1940

    • W J H Gay, a driver 1940
    • Mabel E Gay, a student 1940

    Next door in 1940: C W Whent at 5761. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1160 Davie Street

    West End, 1940

    • George Gay, an electrician 1940

    Next door in 1940: J Allan at 1156 and S E Woodward at 1178. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    4442 Dunbar Street

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • G E Gay, a millwright 1940
    • Madelyn E Gay, a class at the Sun 1940

    Next door in 1940: Press Modern at 4426 and F Sanderson at 4454. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    482 East 17th Avenue

    Riley Park, 1940

    • George Gay, a foreman at Canada Packers 1940

    Next door in 1940: Miss B Clogg at 476 and E G Saunier at 492. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    1928 East 39th Avenue

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • H Gay, a construction at Canadian White Pine 1940

    Next door in 1940: F G Thrower at 1908. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    811 Homer Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • Charles J Gay 1940

    Next door in 1940: C Gruber at 809 and B McKenna at 813. The block, door by door

  7. 7

    318 Main Street

    Strathcona, 1940

    • Mrs Hilda Gay 1940

    Next door in 1940: Lanning Pool Hall at 314 and N Aihoshi at 320. The block, door by door

  8. 8

    1160 Robson Street

    West End, 1940

    • Irene B Gay, an operator at the BC Telephone 1940

    Next door in 1940: Bannister C Ltd at 1154 and Mrs M Curry at 1164. The block, door by door

  9. 9

    1337 West 10th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • Mrs F A Gay, widow of A J 1940
    • Mae H Gay, a stenographer 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs E Mulcahy at 1335 and A L Somerford at 1343. The block, door by door

  10. 10

    2627 West 11th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • R P Gay, a salesman 1940

    Next door in 1940: F W Klein at 2633. The block, door by door

  11. 11

    1612 Yew Street

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • G Gay, an engineer 1940

    Next door in 1940: J R McLachlin at 1616. The block, door by door

  12. 12

    6203 Yew Street

    Kerrisdale, 1940

    • B Gay, a laborer 1940
    • Isobel N Gay, a stenographer at Canada Net & Twine 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs M J L Murray at 6225. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for twelve of the 16: a stenographer (2), a class, a construction, a driver, an electrician and an engineer, among others. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kitsilano (2), West End (2), Downtown, Dunbar-Southlands, Fairview, Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Kerrisdale, Riley Park, Strathcona and Sunset. 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 J H Gay at 5741 Chester 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 William J H Gay there as the householder, a driver, with Mabel E Gay, a student. The 1940 name section lists George Gay at 1160 Davie Street, an electrician.

G E Gay is listed at 4442 Dunbar Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists George E Gay there as the householder, a millwright, with Madelyn E Gay, a class at the Sun. The 1940 name section lists George Gay at 482 East 17th Avenue, a foreman at Canada Packers.

In 1940 the directory lists H Gay at 1928 East 39th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Harry Gay there as the householder, a construction at Canadian White Pine. The 1940 name section lists Charles J Gay at 811 Homer Street. The 1940 name section lists Mrs Hilda Gay at 318 Main Street.

The 1940 name section lists Irene B Gay at 1160 Robson Street, an operator at the BC Telephone. Mrs F A Gay is listed at 1337 West 10th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Florence A Gay there as the householder, widow of A J, with Mae H Gay, a stenographer.

R P Gay is listed at 2627 West 11th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Robert P Gay there as the householder, a salesman. G Gay is listed at 1612 Yew Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists George Gay there as the householder, an engineer.

B Gay is listed at 6203 Yew Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Bennett Gay there as the householder, a laborer, with Isobel N Gay, a stenographer at Canada Net & Twine.

Today

2627 West 11th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1912 by the City's record; 5741 Chester (1972), 1160 Davie (1969), 482 East 17th (2007), 1928 East 39th (1999), 1160 Robson (1957), 1337 West 10th (1977) and 6203 Yew (1989) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 4442 Dunbar, 811 Homer, 318 Main and 1612 Yew, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 23 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 Gays

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Gay 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 G. Want a name removed? Tell us.