Vancouver / Names / H / Howson

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Howsons

In the city directories 1940 · ten people at nine addresses

The directories print ten people named Howson at nine 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 Howsons 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

    1264 Bidwell Street

    West End, 1940

    • A Howson 1940

    Next door in 1940: R W Kennedy at 1260. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    590 Cambie Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • A Howson, a compositor at the Sun 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs T Cook at 584. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    1247 East 17th Avenue

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • Mrs Howson 1940
    • Howson (no first name printed) 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs E Evans at 1243 and P K Wilson at 1251. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    1754 Pendrell Street

    West End, 1940

    • Isabella L Howison 1940

    Next door in 1940: W A Reid at 1746 and W McMath at 1756. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    1010 Seymour Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • H Howson 1940

    Next door in 1940: J Iaci at 1008 and F Iaci at 1022. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    1243 Thurlow Street

    West End, 1940

    • J E Howson, retired 1940

    Next door in 1940: Dr J R Davidson at 1221. The block, door by door

  7. 7

    1175 West 13th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • Leila M Howson, a saleswoman at the Hudson's Bay Company 1940

    Next door in 1940: W H Chiffey at 1165. The block, door by door

  8. 8

    3930 West 23rd Avenue

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • Helen W Howson, widow of E C 1940

    Next door in 1940: W Blair at 3926 and R R Hay at 3938. The block, door by door

  9. 9

    2130 West 38th Avenue

    Arbutus Ridge, 1940

    • J H Howson, a trainman 1940

    Next door in 1940: C A Ritchings at 2122 and K S Johnson at 2136. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for three of the ten: a compositor, a saleswoman and a trainman. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in West End (3), Downtown (2), Arbutus Ridge, Dunbar-Southlands, Fairview and Kensington-Cedar Cottage. 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 Howson at 1264 Bidwell Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Arthur Howson there as the householder. The 1940 name section lists A Howson at 590 Cambie Street, a compositor at the Sun.

Mrs Howson is listed at 1247 East 17th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Howson (no first name printed) there as the householder. The 1940 name section lists Isabella L Howison at 1754 Pendrell Street.

In 1940 the directory lists H Howson at 1010 Seymour Street. The 1940 name section lists Herbert Howson there as the householder. In 1940 the directory lists J E Howson at 1243 Thurlow Street. The 1940 name section lists John E Howson there as the householder, retired.

The 1940 name section lists Leila M Howson at 1175 West 13th Avenue, a saleswoman at the Hudson's Bay Company. The 1940 name section lists Helen W Howson at 3930 West 23rd Avenue, widow of E C. In 1940 the directory lists J H Howson at 2130 West 38th 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 Joseph H Howson there as the householder, a trainman.

Today

1247 East 17th and 1243 Thurlow still have their buildings from before 1946, 1243 Thurlow on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 1754 Pendrell (2019), 1010 Seymour (2009) and 3930 West 23rd (2010) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1264 Bidwell, 590 Cambie, 1175 West 13th and 2130 West 38th, so those buildings are 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 Howsons

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Howson 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 H. Want a name removed? Tell us.