A family name on Nelson Street, West End and Downtown
The Watts
In the city directories 1940 · six people at three addresses
The directories print six people named Watt at three addresses in 1940, all on Nelson 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: three Watts at 805 Nelson in 1940. The directories print the name on 53 other streets too, all listed on the Watt 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 Watts lived
- 1
805 Nelson Street
Downtown, 1940
- D C Watt, a carpenter 1940
- Cecil Watt 1940
- Roy Watt, a factory worker at Canadian Canners 1940
Next door in 1940: J W McNamara at 817. The block, door by door
- 2
840 Nelson Street
Downtown, 1940
- Mrs J A Watt, widow of J 1940
- Stella Watt, a seamstress 1940
Next door in 1940: Oke & Duke at 808. The block, door by door
- 3
1058 Nelson Street
West End, 1940
- O Watt, retired 1940
Next door in 1940: Star Garage at 1042 and L E Collum at 1070. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for three of the six: a carpenter, a factory worker and a seamstress. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Downtown (2) and West End. 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 D C Watt at 805 Nelson Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists David C Watt there as the householder, a carpenter, with Cecil Watt, and Roy Watt, a factory worker at Canadian Canners. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs J A Watt at 840 Nelson Street. The 1940 name section lists Jessie A Watt there as the householder, widow of J, with Stella Watt, a seamstress.
In 1940 the directory lists O Watt at 1058 Nelson Street. The 1940 name section lists Oliver Watt there as the householder, retired.
Today
1058 Nelson still has its building from before 1946, dated 1911 by the City's record and on the Vancouver Heritage Register; the City no longer lists 805 Nelson and 840 Nelson, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 9 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Watt D C805 Nelson, p. 118
- Watt Cecil805 Nelson, p. 645
- Watt David C carp805 Nelson, p. 645
- Watt Roy fcty wkr Can Canners805 Nelson, p. 645
- Watt Mrs J A840 Nelson, p. 118
- Watt Jessie A wid J840 Nelson, p. 645
- Watt Stella smstrs840 Nelson, p. 645
- Watt O1058 Nelson, p. 118
- Watt Oliver retired1058 Nelson, p. 645
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Watts
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Watt 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.