Vancouver / Names / W / Whiffin

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Whiffins

In the city directories 1940 · seven people at four addresses

The directories print seven people named Whiffin 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: three Whiffins at 3779 Beatrice 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 Whiffins 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

    3779 Beatrice Street

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • T F Whiffin, an electrician at the BC District Telegraph 1940
    • Edward B Whiffin, a motorman at the BC Electric Railway 1940
    • Norma Whiffin, an apprentice for Anne Moloney 1940

    Next door in 1940: F R McKenney at 3765 and W H Jessop at 3793. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    228 North Nanaimo Street

    Hastings-Sunrise, 1940

    • Mrs E Whiffin 1940
    • Edward L Whiffin, a messenger at the CN Telegraphs 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs E Cavanagh at 218. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    3895 West 37th Avenue

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • Sybil Whiffin, a maid for A J Johnson 1940

    Next door in 1940: G W L MacKenzie at 3885. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    2893 West King Edward Avenue

    Arbutus Ridge, 1940

    • George R Whiffin, a springworker at Simmons 1940

What they did

The name section prints a trade for six of the seven: an apprentice, an electrician, a maid, a messenger, a motorman and a springworker.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Arbutus Ridge, Dunbar-Southlands, Hastings-Sunrise and Kensington-Cedar Cottage. 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 T F Whiffin at 3779 Beatrice 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, where each person's work is printed, lists Thomas F Whiffin there as the householder, a physician instructor, with Thomas F Whiffin Jr, an electrician at the BC District Telegraph, Edward B Whiffin, a motorman at the BC Electric Railway, and Norma Whiffin, an apprentice for Anne Moloney. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs E Whiffin at 228 North Nanaimo Street. The 1940 name section lists Mrs Ethel Whiffin there as the householder, with Edward L Whiffin, a messenger at the CN Telegraphs.

The 1940 name section lists Sybil Whiffin at 3895 West 37th Avenue, a maid for A J Johnson. The 1940 name section lists George R Whiffin at 2893 West King Edward Avenue, a springworker at Simmons.

Today

3779 Beatrice and 228 North Nanaimo still have their buildings from before 1946; 3895 West 37th (2000) and 2893 West King Edward (1980) have newer buildings, by the City's record.

Every line as printed

All 10 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 Whiffins

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Whiffin 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.