A family name on Richards Street, Downtown
The Johnsons
In the city directories 1940 · five people at five addresses
The directories print five people named Johnson at five addresses in 1940, all on Richards Street, with the close spellings Johanson, Johannson and Johansson. No first name or initials tie one address to another: 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
- 1
503 Richards Street
Downtown, 1940
- E Johnson, a shoe repairer 1940
Next door in 1940: M Freeman at 507. The block, door by door
- 2
520 Richards Street
Downtown, 1940
- Mrs Ellen Johnson, a cook at Pender Lunch 1940
Next door in 1940: M G Gordon at 518 and Kingsley Rooms at 522. The block, door by door
- 3
590 Richards Street
Downtown, 1940
- T Johnson, proprietor of Cinderella Wardrobe 1940
Next door in 1940: Dobbie & Radford at 588 and J Kumamoto at 594. The block, door by door
- 4
1024 Richards Street
Downtown, 1940
- A H Johnson, a carpenter 1940
Next door in 1940: R Garden at 1016 and L Wenman at 1026. The block, door by door
- 5
1039 Richards Street
Downtown, 1940
- John Johnson 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs A Cope at 1037 and W Folk at 1041. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for three of the five: a carpenter, a cook and a proprietor.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Downtown (5). 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 E Johnson, a shoe repairer, at 503 Richards Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Mrs Ellen Johnson at 520 Richards Street, a cook at Pender Lunch. The 1940 name section lists T Johnson at 590 Richards Street, proprietor of Cinderella Wardrobe.
A H Johnson is listed at 1024 Richards Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists A Helmer Johnson there as the householder, a carpenter. The 1940 name section lists John Johnson at 1039 Richards Street.
Today
The City no longer lists 503 Richards, 520 Richards, 590 Richards, 1024 Richards and 1039 Richards, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 6 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Johnson E shoe repr503 Richards, p. 141
- Johnson Mrs Ellen cook Pender Lunch520 Richards, p. 305
- Johnson T prop Cinderella Wardrobe590 Richards, p. 306
- Johnson A H1024 Richards, p. 142
- Johnson A Helmer carp1024 Richards, p. 305
- Johnson John1039 Richards, p. 306
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
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.
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.