Vancouver / Names / N / Nelson / Nelson Street

A family name on Nelson Street, West End and Downtown

The Nelsons

In the city directories 1940 · seven people at four addresses

The directories print seven people named Nelson at four addresses in 1940, all on Nelson Street, with the close spellings Neilson and Nielson. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: four Nelsons at 1148 Nelson in 1940. The directories print the name on 134 other streets too, all listed on the Nelson 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 Nelsons 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

    1148 Nelson Street

    West End, 1940

    • Mrs J Neilson, widow of C 1940
    • Arthur Neilson, a floor man at Star Garage 1940
    • Don Neilson, a mailer at the Province 1940
    • Theo E Neilson, an apprentice at the Province 1940

    Next door in 1940: T W Pluto at 1144 and lorne (the) at 1150. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1235 Nelson Street

    West End, 1940

    • Edna M Neilson, a stenographer at the CBC 1940

    Next door in 1940: beverly (the) at 1225 and tweedsmuir apts at 1245. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    1729 Nelson Street

    West End, 1940

    • Harold N Nelson, who worked for Boeing's 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs E F May at 1717 and Mrs F A McGraw at 1733. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    2050 Nelson Street

    West End, 1940

    • Elizabeth Nelson, a widow 1940

    Next door in 1940: E G Palmer at 2040 and R R Clarke at 2060. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for five of the seven: an apprentice, an employee, a floor man, a mailer and a stenographer. Two of them worked for Province. Two are widows, listed under their own names.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in West End (4). 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 Mrs J Neilson, rooms to let, at 1148 Nelson Street; 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, where each person's work is printed, lists Jennie Neilson there, widow of C, with Arthur Neilson, a floor man at Star Garage, Don Neilson, a mailer at the Province, and Theo E Neilson, an apprentice at the Province. The 1940 name section lists Edna M Neilson at 1235 Nelson Street, a stenographer at the CBC. The 1940 name section lists Harold N Nelson at 1729 Nelson Street, who worked for Boeing's.

The 1940 name section lists Elizabeth Nelson at 2050 Nelson Street, a widow.

Today

1235 Nelson still has its building from before 1946, dated 1931 by the City's record and on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 2050 Nelson (1963) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1148 Nelson and 1729 Nelson, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Nelson Street, a wide street of houses behind hedges
About 1915 Nelson Street, a wide street of houses behind hedges. Not at the house at 1148 Nelson: no archive photo of the 1100 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, Str P181.2. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 8 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 Nelsons

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Nelson 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 N. Want a name removed? Tell us.