Vancouver / Names / W / Williams / Commercial Street

A family name on Commercial Street, Kensington-Cedar Cottage and Victoria-Fraserview

The Williamses

In the city directories 1940 · two people at two addresses

The directories print two people named Williams at two addresses in 1940, all on Commercial Street, with the close spelling Willams. 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 186 other streets too, all listed on the Williams 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 Williamses lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. One address isn't on today's map, so it has no pin. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    3584 Commercial Street

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • E J Williams, in meats 1940

    Next door in 1940: G T Emery at 3582 and O Gardner at 3586. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    4396 Commercial Street

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • Mrs Sarah S Williams 1940

    Next door in 1940: F Bruzzese at 4386. The block, door by door

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kensington-Cedar Cottage (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 E J Williams, in meats, at 3584 Commercial Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Mrs Sarah S Williams at 4396 Commercial Street.

Today

4396 Commercial still has its building from before 1946, dated 1910 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 3584 Commercial, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

The 3500 block of Commercial Street, looking north from 20th Avenue past the Bank of Hamilton
About 1913 The 3500 block of Commercial Street, looking north from 20th Avenue past the Bank of Hamilton. Taken on the 3500 block; it doesn't single out the house at 3584 Commercial. City of Vancouver Archives, LGN 504. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 2 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 Williamses

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Williams 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.