A family name on Barclay Street, West End
The Watsons
In the city directories 1940 · two people at two addresses
The directories print two people named Watson at two addresses in 1940, all on Barclay Street. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: we can't tell if they're one family. The directories print the name on 145 other streets too, all listed on the Watson 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 Watsons lived
- 1
1120 Barclay Street
West End, 1940
- A D Watson, a chef at the CPR 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs E Bierce at 1124. The block, door by door
- 2
1447 Barclay Street
West End, 1940
- Eva Watson, a waitress for Barclay Manor 1940
Next door in 1940: Marlyn (The) at 1433 and G W Weeks at 1459. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for all two: a chef and a waitress.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in West End (2). 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 A D Watson at 1120 Barclay Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Alex D Watson there as the householder, a chef at the CPR. The 1940 name section lists Eva Watson at 1447 Barclay Street, a waitress for Barclay Manor.
Today
1447 Barclay still has its building from before 1946, on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 1120 Barclay (1964) has a newer building, by the City's record.

Every line as printed
All 3 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Watson A D1120 Barclay, p. 8
- Watson Alex D chef CPR1120 Barclay, p. 644
- Watson Eva waitress Barclay Manor1447 Barclay, p. 644
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Watsons
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Watson 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 W. Want a name removed? Tell us.