A family name on East 23rd Avenue, Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Riley Park and Renfrew-Collingwood
The Williamses
In the city directories 1940 · five people at five addresses
The directories print five people named Williams at five addresses in 1940, all on East 23rd Avenue, with the close spelling Willams. No first name or initials tie one address to another: 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
- 1
- 2
2089 East 23rd Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- Mrs B Williams, a widow 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs L A Horne at 2083 and R C Rice at 2095. The block, door by door
- 3
2425 East 23rd Avenue
Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940
- George J Williams, retired 1940
Next door in 1940: A Karps at 2435. The block, door by door
- 4
2695 East 23rd Avenue
Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940
- R N Williams, an assayer at J R Williams & Son 1940
Next door in 1940: A O Hobson at 2691 and W A R Watkins at 2699. The block, door by door
- 5
3443 East 23rd Avenue
Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940
- F Williams 1940
Next door in 1940: R Lamb at 3439 and H Locke at 3477. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for two of the five: an assayer and a caretaker. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Renfrew-Collingwood (3), Kensington-Cedar Cottage and Riley Park. 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 G Williams at 440 East 23rd Avenue. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists George Williams there as the householder, a caretaker at the Vancouver Parks Board. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs B Williams at 2089 East 23rd Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Blanche Williams there as the householder, a widow.
The 1940 name section lists George J Williams at 2425 East 23rd Avenue, retired. R N Williams is listed at 2695 East 23rd Avenue in 1940; 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 lists Roderick N Williams there as the householder, an assayer at J R Williams & Son.
F Williams is listed at 3443 East 23rd Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Frederick Williams there as the householder.
Today
2425 East 23rd still has its building from before 1946, dated 1930 by the City's record; 2089 East 23rd (1964), 2695 East 23rd (1978) and 3443 East 23rd (1988) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 440 East 23rd, so that building is 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.
- Williams G440 East 23rd, p. 236
- Williams Geo caretkr Van Pks Bd440 East 23rd, p. 662
- Williams Mrs B2089 East 23rd, p. 237
- Williams Blanche wid —2089 East 23rd, p. 661
- Williams Geo J retired2425 East 23rd, p. 662
- *Williams R N2695 East 23rd, p. 237
- Williams Rodk N assayer J R Williams & Son2695 East 23rd, p. 663
- Williams F3443 East 23rd, p. 237
- Williams Fredk3443 East 23rd, p. 662
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.
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.