A family name on Seymour Street, Downtown
The Johnstons
In the city directories 1940 · five people at two addresses
The directories print five people named Johnston at two addresses in 1940, all on Seymour Street, with the close spelling Johnstone. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: three Johnstons at 1302 Seymour in 1940. The directories print the name on 166 other streets too, all listed on the Johnston 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 Johnstons lived
- 1
1111 Seymour Street
Downtown, 1940
- W H Johnston, a chauffeur at Checker Taxi 1940
- Roy McL Johnston, a millworker at Hammond's 1940
Next door in 1940: Lunch Alex at 1105 and Intl Harvester Co at 1135. The block, door by door
- 2
1302 Seymour Street
Downtown, 1940
- Miss H Johnston 1940
- Helen Johnston, who worked for the BC Telephone 1940
- John Johnston 1940
Next door in 1940: W F Spina at 1300 and O D Green at 1306. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for three of the five: a chauffeur, an employee and a millworker.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Downtown (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 W H Johnston at 1111 Seymour Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists William H Johnston there as the householder, a chauffeur at Checker Taxi, with Roy McL Johnston, a millworker at Hammond's. In 1940 the directory lists Miss H Johnston at 1302 Seymour Street. The 1940 name section lists Helen Johnston there as the householder, who worked for the BC Telephone, with John Johnston.
Today
1111 Seymour (2017) and 1302 Seymour (1987) have newer buildings, by the City's record.
Every line as printed
All 6 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Johnston W H1111 Seymour, p. 151
- Johnston Roy McL mlwkr Hammond's1111 Seymour, p. 308
- Johnston Wm H chauf Checker Taxi1111 Seymour, p. 309
- Johnston Miss H1302 Seymour, p. 151
- Johnston Helen emp BC Tel1302 Seymour, p. 308
- Johnston John1302 Seymour, p. 308
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Johnstons
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Johnston 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.