Vancouver / Names / J / Johnson / Commercial Drive

A family name on Commercial Drive, Grandview-Woodland and Kensington-Cedar Cottage

The Johnsons

In the city directories 1940 · three people at two addresses

The directories print three people named Johnson at two addresses in 1940, all on Commercial Drive, with the close spellings Johanson, Johannson and Johansson. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: we can't tell if they're one family. The directories print the name on 209 other streets too, all listed on the Johnson name's own page.

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 Johnsons 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

    2926 Commercial Drive

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • Mrs J B Johnson 1940
    • J B Johnson 1940

    Next door in 1940: Turner's Candy Co at 2954. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    3236 Commercial Drive

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • W L Johnson 1940

    Next door in 1940: C A Collin at 3226 and Mrs S Snow at 3246. The block, door by door

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kensington-Cedar Cottage (2). 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 J B Johnson at 2926 Commercial Drive; the 1940 line is marked *: some member of the family owns the property, to the best of our knowledge (the directory's own mark). By 1940 it is Mrs J B Johnson. In 1940 the directory lists W L Johnson at 3236 Commercial Drive.

Today

The City no longer lists 2926 Commercial Drive and 3236 Commercial Drive, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

The staff of Duke's Grocery in their aprons and coats outside the store at 1588 Commercial Drive
1920 The staff of Duke's Grocery in their aprons and coats outside the store at 1588 Commercial Drive. Not at the house at 2926 Commercial Drive: no archive photo of the 2900 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 99 - 3274. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 3 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.

The book of the Johnsons

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Johnson 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 J. Want a name removed? Tell us.