Vancouver / Names / G / Gowen

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Gowens

In the city directories 1940 · eight people at six addresses

The directories print eight people named Gowen at six 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. The most under one roof: three Gowens at 1027 Harwood in 1940.

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 Gowens lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    3376 East Pender Street

    Hastings-Sunrise, 1940

    • Reginald H Gowen, an assembler at the Gibbs Tools & Stamping Works 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs V Pearson at 3368 and F J Harris at 3388. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1027 Harwood Street

    West End, 1940

    • Mrs M Gowen 1940
    • Helen M Gowen, a seamstress at Traer & Dickie 1940
    • Marjorie E Gowen 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs B Nesbit at 1023 and S J McGuire at 1031. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    1640 Larch Street

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • C N Gowen, a movie operator at the Beacon Theatre 1940
  4. 4

    4228 West 11th Avenue

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • C N Gowen, a movie operator 1940

    Next door in 1940: P Leth at 4224 and M J Dexter at 4234. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    536 West 13th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • Kathleen L Gowen, a saleswoman at The Wigwam 1940

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

  6. 6

    2876 West 5th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • F Gowen, in photographer and novelties at the Prospect Point Stanley Park and proprietor of The Wigwam 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs L A Jenni at 2866 and J F Jones at 2886. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for six of the eight: a movie operator (2), an assembler, a photographer and novelties, a saleswoman and a seamstress.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kitsilano (2), Fairview, Hastings-Sunrise, West End 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

The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Reginald H Gowen at 3376 East Pender Street, an assembler at the Gibbs Tools & Stamping Works. Mrs M Gowen is listed at 1027 Harwood Street in 1940; 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 Mrs Matilda Gowen there as the householder, with Helen M Gowen, a seamstress at Traer & Dickie, and Marjorie E Gowen.

C N Gowen is listed at 1640 Larch Street in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Charles N Gowen there as the householder, a movie operator at the Beacon Theatre. C N Gowen is listed at 4228 West 11th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Charles N Gowen Jr there as the householder, a movie operator.

The 1940 name section lists Kathleen L Gowen at 536 West 13th Avenue, a saleswoman at The Wigwam. In 1940 the directory lists F Gowen at 2876 West 5th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Frank Gowen there as the householder, in photographer and novelties at the Prospect Point Stanley Park and proprietor of The Wigwam.

Today

2876 West 5th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1912 by the City's record and on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 4228 West 11th (1987) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 3376 East Pender, 1027 Harwood, 1640 Larch and 536 West 13th, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 12 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
1940

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, name section, where each person's work is printed

The book of the Gowens

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Gowen 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.

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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.