A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Gittinses
In the city directories 1940 · five people at five addresses
The directories print five people named Gittins at five addresses in 1940 in five 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 Gittinses lived
- 1
1664 Kingsway
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- A Gittins, a music teacher 1940
Next door in 1940: Stark W G & Son at 1660 and P E Bennett at 1668. The block, door by door
- 2
1218 Melville Street
Downtown, 1940
- Mrs Emily Gittins, a saleswoman at Spencer's 1940
Next door in 1940: W H McKerrow at 1220. The block, door by door
- 3
406 West 13th Avenue
Mount Pleasant, 1940
- James C Gittins, a freight operator at BC Motor Transportation 1940
Next door in 1940: D M Fitzpatrick at 416. The block, door by door
- 4
1308 West 45th Avenue
Oakridge, 1940
- J R Gittins, a clerk at the Post Office 1940
Next door in 1940: R S Smith at 1320. The block, door by door
- 5
3855 Windermere Street
Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940
- J Gittins, retired 1940
Next door in 1940: C Fraser at 3811 and J Jameson at 3875. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for four of the five: a clerk, a freight operator, a music teacher and a saleswoman.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Downtown, Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Mount Pleasant, Oakridge and Renfrew-Collingwood. 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 A Gittins, a music teacher, at 1664 Kingsway. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Albert Gittins there, a music teacher. The 1940 name section lists Mrs Emily Gittins at 1218 Melville Street, a saleswoman at Spencer's. The 1940 name section lists James C Gittins at 406 West 13th Avenue, a freight operator at BC Motor Transportation.
In 1940 the directory lists J R Gittins at 1308 West 45th 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 lists John R Gittins there as the householder, a clerk at the Post Office. In 1940 the directory lists J Gittins at 3855 Windermere Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Joseph Gittins there as the householder, retired.
Today
1664 Kingsway, 1218 Melville, 406 West 13th and 1308 West 45th still have their buildings from before 1946; 3855 Windermere (1977) has a newer building, by the City's record.
Every line as printed
All 8 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Gittins A mus tchr1664 Kingsway, p. 98
- Gittins Albt mus tchr1664 Kingsway, p. 225
- Gittins Mrs Emily slswm Spencers1218 Melville, p. 225
- Gittins Jas C frt opr BC Motor Trans406 West 13th, p. 225
- *Gittins J R1308 West 45th, p. 262
- Gittins John R clk PO1308 West 45th, p. 225
- *Gittins J3855 Windermere, p. 169
- Gittins Jos retired3855 Windermere, p. 225
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Gittinses
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Gittins 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 G. Want a name removed? Tell us.