Vancouver / Names / R / Robertson / William Street

A family name on William Street, Grandview-Woodland, Strathcona and Hastings-Sunrise

The Robertsons

In the city directories 1940 · eight people at three addresses

The directories print eight people named Robertson at three addresses in 1940, all on William Street. 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 Robertsons at 1966 William in 1940. The directories print the name on 150 other streets too, all listed on the Robertson 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 Robertsons 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

    1966 William Street

    Grandview-Woodland, 1940

    • J C Robertson, a paper hanger 1940
    • Annie M Robertson 1940
    • George Robertson, a packer at American Can 1940
    • William Robertson, a decorator 1940

    Next door in 1940: L S Whieldon at 1962 and B A Wick at 1970. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    2038 William Street

    Grandview-Woodland, 1940

    • A Robertson, a conductor at the BC Electric Railway 1940
    • Duncan J Robertson, a student 1940

    Next door in 1940: V Nielsen at 2028 and W Bradbury at 2050. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    2258 William Street

    Grandview-Woodland, 1940

    • J B Robertson, a salesman for J McIntyre 1940
    • L Mae Robertson, a student 1940

    Next door in 1940: N Bloom at 2250 and A D Kerr at 2264. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for five of the eight: a conductor, a decorator, a packer, a paper hanger and a salesman.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Grandview-Woodland (3). 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 C Robertson at 1966 William 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 James C Robertson there as the householder, a caretaker at the Robertson Presby Church, with James C Robertson Jr, a paper hanger, Annie M Robertson, George Robertson, a packer at American Can, and William Robertson, a decorator. In 1940 the directory lists A Robertson at 2038 William Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Angus Robertson there as the householder, a conductor at the BC Electric Railway, with Duncan J Robertson, a student.

In 1940 the directory lists J B Robertson at 2258 William Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists James B Robertson there as the householder, a salesman for J McIntyre, with L Mae Robertson, a student.

Today

1966 William and 2038 William still have their buildings from before 1946, 1966 William on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 2258 William (2014) has a newer building, by the City's record.

Every line as printed

All 12 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 Robertsons

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Robertson 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 R. Want a name removed? Tell us.