Vancouver / Names / S / Sills

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Sillses

In the city directories 1940 · eight people at four addresses

The directories print eight people named Sills at four addresses in 1940 in four of the city's neighbourhoods. 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 Sillses at 3951 Hudson in 1940.

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 Sillses 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

    493 East King Edward Avenue

    Riley Park, 1940

    • Mrs J E Sills, widow of W 1940
    • Roy S Sills, a steward 1940

    Next door in 1940: T Willis at 473 and F G Cavallin at 495. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    3951 Hudson Street

    Shaughnessy, 1940

    • P G Sills, a president at Premier Lumber 1940
    • John L Sills, a student 1940
    • Margaret J Sills, a student 1940
    • Percy D Sills 1940
  3. 3

    1678 West 11th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • H G Sills, a manager at Vancouver Roofing & Siding 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs E McClellan at 1676 and J Marshall at 1686. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    2804 West 3rd Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • William W Sills, retired 1940

    Next door in 1940: W Groat at 2814. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for three of the eight: a manager, a president and a steward. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Fairview, Kitsilano, Riley Park 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

In 1940 the directory lists Mrs J E Sills at 493 East King Edward Avenue; 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 Jane E Sills there as the householder, widow of W, with Roy S Sills, a steward. In 1940 the directory lists P G Sills at 3951 Hudson Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Percival G Sills there as the householder, a president at Premier Lumber, with John L Sills, a student, Margaret J Sills, a student, and Percy D Sills.

In 1940 the directory lists H G Sills at 1678 West 11th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Harry G Sills there as the householder, a manager at Vancouver Roofing & Siding. The 1940 name section lists William W Sills at 2804 West 3rd Avenue, retired.

Today

493 East King Edward and 2804 West 3rd still have their buildings from before 1946; 3951 Hudson (1978) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1678 West 11th, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Hudson Street looking south toward the Eburne station, past the Hotel Eburne and parked cars
The 1910s Hudson Street looking south toward the Eburne station, past the Hotel Eburne and parked cars. Not at the house at 3951 Hudson: no archive photo of the 3900 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, LGN 994. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 11 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 Sillses

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Sills 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 S. Want a name removed? Tell us.