A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Smithsons
In the city directories 1940 · twelve people at ten addresses
The directories print twelve people named Smithson at ten addresses in 1940 in nine 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: three Smithsons at 1263 Barclay 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 Smithsons lived
- 1
3150 Alma Street
West Point Grey, 1940
- H H Smithson, a chainmaker at Canada Chain 1940
Next door in 1940: R Winterhalder at 3160. The block, door by door
- 2
1263 Barclay Street
West End, 1940
- F G Smithson, a clerk at the Bank of Montreal 1940
- Daphne M P Smithson, a school teacher 1940
- Mary E Smithson, a stenographer 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs J W Davidson at 1261 and W J C Hunter at 1265. The block, door by door
- 3
5949 Battison Street
Killarney, 1940
- J T Smithson, a moulder at Kumfort Furnace 1940
Next door in 1940: A Murison at 5939. The block, door by door
- 4
5882 Cree Street
Sunset, 1940
- R E Smithson, a machinist at the Reliance Motor & Machinery Works 1940
Next door in 1940: W Edge at 5860. The block, door by door
- 5
33 East 17th Avenue
Riley Park, 1940
- Christina N Smithson, widow of E 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs H A Crockett at 21 and J F Morris at 47. The block, door by door
- 6
- 7
615 Helmcken Street
Downtown, 1940
- Edward Smithson, a piler at R&H Sawmill 1940
Next door in 1940: H W Smith at 609 and C A Ohlund at 617. The block, door by door
- 8
270 Semlin Drive
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- C Smithson, a meat cutter at Oxford Meat Market & Grocery 1940
Next door in 1940: W Fulton at 260. The block, door by door
- 9
2161 West 38th Avenue
Arbutus Ridge, 1940
- V Smithson, proprietor of Strathcona Meat Market 1940
Next door in 1940: G A Strickland at 2155 and Mrs M A E Wilken at 2167. The block, door by door
- 10
1307 West 47th Avenue
Oakridge, 1940
- H W Smithson, a sales manager at National Paper Box 1940
Next door in 1940: G V Brown at 1319. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for eleven of the twelve: a chainmaker, a clerk, a machinist, a meat cutter, a moulder and a piler, among others. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Grandview-Woodland (2), Arbutus Ridge, Downtown, Killarney, Oakridge, Riley Park, Sunset, West End and West Point Grey. 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 H H Smithson at 3150 Alma Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Herbert H Smithson there as the householder, a chainmaker at Canada Chain. In 1940 the directory lists F G Smithson at 1263 Barclay Street. The 1940 name section lists Frank G Smithson there as the householder, a clerk at the Bank of Montreal, with Daphne M P Smithson, a school teacher, and Mary E Smithson, a stenographer.
In 1940 the directory lists J T Smithson at 5949 Battison 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 lists John T Smithson there as the householder, a moulder at Kumfort Furnace. In 1940 the directory lists R E Smithson at 5882 Cree Street. The 1940 name section lists Robert E Smithson there as the householder, a machinist at the Reliance Motor & Machinery Works.
The 1940 name section lists Christina N Smithson at 33 East 17th Avenue, widow of E. W Smithson is listed at 1403 Grant Street in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists William Smithson there as the householder, a repairerman for L H Wilkinson. The 1940 name section lists Edward Smithson at 615 Helmcken Street, a piler at R&H Sawmill.
In 1940 the directory lists C Smithson at 270 Semlin Drive. The 1940 name section lists Chris Smithson there as the householder, a meat cutter at Oxford Meat Market & Grocery. In 1940 the directory lists V Smithson at 2161 West 38th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Victor Smithson there as the householder, proprietor of Strathcona Meat Market.
In 1940 the directory lists H W Smithson at 1307 West 47th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists H William Smithson there as the householder, a sales manager at National Paper Box.
Today
3150 Alma and 5882 Cree still have their buildings from before 1946; 1263 Barclay (1988), 5949 Battison (1986), 33 East 17th (2003) and 1307 West 47th (2013) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1403 Grant, 615 Helmcken, 270 Semlin Drive and 2161 West 38th, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 20 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Smithson H H3150 Alma, p. 4
- Smithson Herbt H chainmkr Canada Chain3150 Alma, p. 574
- Smithson F G1263 Barclay, p. 9
- Smithson Daphne M P sch tchr1263 Barclay, p. 574
- Smithson Frank G clk Bk of Mont1263 Barclay, p. 574
- Smithson Mary E sten1263 Barclay, p. 574
- *Smithson J T5949 Battison, p. 9
- Smithson John T mldr Kumfort Furnace5949 Battison, p. 574
- Smithson R E5882 Cree, p. 38
- Smithson Robt E mach Reliance Motor & Mach Wks5882 Cree, p. 574
- Smithson Christina N wid E hsekpr T S Alabaster33 East 17th, p. 574
- *Smithson W1403 Grant, p. 61
- Smithson Wm reprmn L H Wilkinson1403 Grant, p. 574
- Smithson Edw piler R&H Sawmill615 Helmcken, p. 574
- Smithson C270 Semlin Drive, p. 149
- Smithson Chris meat ctr Oxford Meat Mkt & Gro270 Semlin Drive, p. 574
- Smithson V2161 West 38th, p. 254
- Smithson Victor prop Strathcona Meat Mkt2161 West 38th, p. 574
- *Smithson H W1307 West 47th, p. 263
- Smithson H Wm slsmgr Natl Paper Box1307 West 47th, p. 574
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Smithsons
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Smithson 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 S. Want a name removed? Tell us.