Vancouver / Names / W / Washington

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Washingtons

In the city directories 1940 · eleven people at six addresses

The directories print eleven people named Washington at six 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: five Washingtons at 1292 West 59th 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 Washingtons 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

    2644 East 7th Avenue

    Hastings-Sunrise, 1940

    • F J Washington, a tester at the Fraser Valley Milk Producers' Association 1940

    Next door in 1940: D S Anderton at 2672. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    383 East Hastings Street

    Strathcona, 1940

    • J B Washington 1940

    Next door in 1940: Jack Gam John at 381 and Sunkist Produce Co at 389. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    435 Helmcken Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • Mrs Florence Washington, a cashier at White Lunch 1940
    • Stan Washington, a bus boy at White Lunch 1940

    Next door in 1940: W Stallman at 431 and J Smith at 439. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    235 Smithe Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • Grace Washington, a waitress at the Devonshire Hotel 1940

    Next door in 1940: W E Peacock at 249. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    1292 West 59th Avenue

    Marpole, 1940

    • E D Washington, a dentist 1940
    • Cath L Washington, a school teacher 1940
    • Dorothy M Washington, a school teacher 1940
    • Edwin M Washington 1940
    • Norma R Washington, a school teacher 1940

    Next door in 1940: A E Fleetham at 1258. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    925 West Georgia Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • E D Washington, a dentist 1940

    Next door in 1940: Lunch Sandwich at 915 and Macdonald's Prescriptions at 929. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for eight of the eleven: a school teacher (3), a bus boy, a cashier, a dentist, a tester and a waitress. Some worked for the same employer: two for Vancouver City and two for White Lunch.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Downtown (3), Hastings-Sunrise, Marpole and Strathcona. 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 F J Washington at 2644 East 7th 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 Frederick J Washington there as the householder, a tester at the Fraser Valley Milk Producers' Association. In 1940 the directory lists J B Washington at 383 East Hastings Street. The 1940 name section lists Mrs Florence Washington at 435 Helmcken Street, a cashier at White Lunch, with Stan Washington, a bus boy at White Lunch.

The 1940 name section lists Grace Washington at 235 Smithe Street, a waitress at the Devonshire Hotel. E D Washington is listed at 1292 West 59th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists E Day Washington there as the householder, a dentist, with Cath L Washington, a school teacher, Dorothy M Washington, a school teacher, Edwin M Washington, and Norma R Washington, a school teacher. E D Washington, a dentist, is listed at 925 West Georgia Street in 1940.

Today

383 East Hastings and 435 Helmcken still have their buildings from before 1946, 435 Helmcken on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 2644 East 7th (1964) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 235 Smithe, 1292 West 59th and 925 West Georgia, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 13 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 Washingtons

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Washington 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 W. Want a name removed? Tell us.