Vancouver / Names / G / Gowan

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Gowans

In the city directories 1940 · nine people at seven addresses

The directories print nine people named Gowan at seven addresses in 1940 in six 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 Gowans lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. Two addresses aren't on today's map, so they have no pin. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    3140 Camosun Street

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • G V Gowan, of Hancox & Gowan 1940
  2. 2

    4207 Commercial Street

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • W D Gowan, a laborer at the City of Vancouver 1940

    Next door in 1940: J H Plummer at 4217. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    5652 Rupert Street

    Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940

    • E Gowan, an engineer at Keystone Shingles & Lumber 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs A Maitland at 5618. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    536 West 13th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • Kathleen Gowan, a stenographer 1940

    Next door in 1940: J A Omond at 526. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    1575 West 14th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • Miss R A Gowan 1940
    • Ruth A Gowan, a stenographer at R S Plant 1940

    Next door in 1940: cavendish (the) at 1565 and Miss E K Hipperson at 1585. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    3308 West 38th Avenue

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • C D Gowan, an underwriter at Sun Life 1940

    Next door in 1940: J Mitchell at 3322. The block, door by door

  7. 7

    3144 West 7th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • Mrs L A Gowan, an agent at North American Life 1940
    • Nancy J Gowan, a stenographer at Morrison Export 1940

    Next door in 1940: A Funnell at 3136 and A E Skinner at 3152. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for seven of the nine: a stenographer (3), an agent, an engineer, a laborer and an underwriter.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Fairview (2), Dunbar-Southlands, Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Kitsilano, Renfrew-Collingwood and West Point Grey. 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 V Gowan at 3140 Camosun 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 G Victor Gowan there as the householder, of Hancox & Gowan. In 1940 the directory lists W D Gowan at 4207 Commercial Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists William D Gowan there as the householder, a laborer at the City of Vancouver.

In 1940 the directory lists E Gowan at 5652 Rupert Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Eugene Gowan there as the householder, an engineer at Keystone Shingles & Lumber. The 1940 name section lists Kathleen Gowan at 536 West 13th Avenue, a stenographer.

Miss R A Gowan is listed at 1575 West 14th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Ruth A Gowan there as the householder, a stenographer at R S Plant. C D Gowan is listed at 3308 West 38th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Charles D Gowan there as the householder, an underwriter at Sun Life.

Mrs L A Gowan is listed at 3144 West 7th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Mrs Lilian A Gowan there as the householder, an agent at North American Life, with Nancy J Gowan, a stenographer at Morrison Export.

Today

3140 Camosun, 4207 Commercial, 1575 West 14th and 3144 West 7th still have their buildings from before 1946; 5652 Rupert (1977) and 3308 West 38th (2001) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 536 West 13th, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 14 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 Gowans

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Gowan 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.