A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Mathiases
In the city directories 1940 · three people at three addresses
The directories print three people named Mathias at three addresses in 1940 in three of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling Matthias. 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 Mathiases lived
- 1
- 2
1819 Dunbar Street
Kitsilano, 1940
- A E Matthias, a general manager at Art Electric Engineers 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs F A Lund at 1807 and T V Doyle at 1845. The block, door by door
- 3
What they did
The name section prints a trade for two of the three: a general manager and a maid.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Kerrisdale, Kitsilano and Shaughnessy. 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
The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Helen Matthias at 3790 Alexandra Street, a maid for E D Dowler. A E Matthias is listed at 1819 Dunbar Street in 1940; 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 Albert E Matthias there as the householder, a general manager at Art Electric Engineers.
D G Mathias is listed at 2016 West 53rd Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Doug G Mathias there as the householder, retired, with D Gordon B Mathias, an assistant at UBC.
Today
1819 Dunbar still has its building from before 1946, dated 1912 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 3790 Alexandra and 2016 West 53rd, 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.
- Matthias Helen maid E D Dowler3790 Alexandra, p. 421
- *Matthias A E1819 Dunbar, p. 44
- Matthias Albt E genl mgr Art Elec Engs1819 Dunbar, p. 421
- *Mathias D G2016 West 53rd, p. 267
- Mathias D Gordon B asst UBC2016 West 53rd, p. 420
- Mathias Doug G retired2016 West 53rd, p. 420
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, name section, where each person's work is printed
The book of the Mathiases
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Mathias 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 M. Want a name removed? Tell us.