A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Gwilliams
In the city directories 1940 · seven people at seven addresses
The directories print seven people named Gwilliam at seven addresses in 1940 in four of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling Gwillim. 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 Gwilliams lived
- 1
2143 East 29th Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- W Gwilliam 1940
Next door in 1940: S Wright at 2135 and J W Milnes at 2157. The block, door by door
- 2
1212 Granville Street
Downtown, 1940
- L Gwillam 1940
Next door in 1940: Apex Furn at 1210 and Baggage City at 1214. The block, door by door
- 3
1143 Haro Street
West End, 1940
- Franklin Gwillam, a warehouseman at the Terminal Dock 1940
Next door in 1940: A Carter at 1135 and C E Brown at 1149. The block, door by door
- 4
- 5
602 Kingsway
Mount Pleasant, 1940
- William Gwillim, a salesman at Art Monument 1940
Next door in 1940: Twigg Island Dairy at 612. The block, door by door
- 6
1256 Richards Street
Downtown, 1940
- E Gwilliam, a stenographer at Peoples Credit Jewellers 1940
Next door in 1940: Elec Panel Mfg Ltd at 1250 and W R Miller at 1262. The block, door by door
- 7
1058 West Pender Street
Downtown, 1940
- A H Gwillim, rooms to let 1940
Next door in 1940: H Okamura at 1056 and J Medcalfe at 1062. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for four of the seven: a proprietor, a salesman, a stenographer and a warehouseman.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Downtown (4), Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Mount Pleasant and West End. 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 Gwilliam at 2143 East 29th 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, where each person's work is printed, lists Walter Gwilliam there as the householder. The 1940 name section lists L Gwillam at 1212 Granville Street. The 1940 name section lists Franklin Gwillam at 1143 Haro Street, a warehouseman at the Terminal Dock.
The 1940 name section lists W Leslie Gwillim at 504 Howe Street, proprietor of Public Transfer. The 1940 name section lists William Gwillim at 602 Kingsway, a salesman at Art Monument. In 1940 the directory lists E Gwilliam at 1256 Richards Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Edward Gwilliam there as the householder, with Elizabeth C Gwilliam, a stenographer at Peoples Credit Jewellers.
In 1940 the directory lists A H Gwillim, rooms to let, at 1058 West Pender Street.
Today
1212 Granville and 1143 Haro still have their buildings from before 1946; 2143 East 29th (2001) and 602 Kingsway (1987) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 504 Howe, 1256 Richards and 1058 West Pender, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 10 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Gwilliam W2143 East 29th, p. 244
- Gwilliam Walter2143 East 29th, p. 245
- Gwillam L1212 Granville, p. 245
- Gwillam Franklin whsmn Term Dock1143 Haro, p. 245
- Gwillim W Leslie prop Public Transf504 Howe, p. 245
- Gwillim Wm slsmn Art Monument602 Kingsway, p. 245
- *Gwilliam E1256 Richards, p. 142
- Gwilliam Edw1256 Richards, p. 245
- Gwilliam Eliz C sten Peoples Credit Jwlrs1256 Richards, p. 245
- Gwillim A H rooms1058 West Pender, p. 131
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Gwilliams
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Gwilliam 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.