A family name on East 56th Avenue, Sunset and Victoria-Fraserview
The Williamses
In the city directories 1940 · four people at three addresses
The directories print four people named Williams at three addresses in 1940, all on East 56th 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
35 East 56th Avenue
Sunset, 1940
- J Williams, a gardener 1940
Next door in 1940: A H Dreyer at 75. The block, door by door
- 2
335 East 56th Avenue
Sunset, 1940
- Frederick Williams, a messenger 1940
- Ruth Williams, a laundress 1940
Next door in 1940: C Martin at 311 and S Gertz at 357. The block, door by door
- 3
527 East 56th Avenue
Sunset, 1940
- Mrs E Williams, widow of F 1940
Next door in 1940: W B Ferguson at 543. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for three of the four: a gardener, a laundress and a messenger. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Sunset (3). 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 J Williams at 35 East 56th Avenue; 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 James Williams there as the householder, a gardener. The 1940 name section lists Frederick Williams at 335 East 56th Avenue, a messenger, with Ruth Williams, a laundress.
Mrs E Williams is listed at 527 East 56th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Eleanor Williams there as the householder, widow of F.
Today
527 East 56th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1910 by the City's record; 35 East 56th (1976) and 335 East 56th (2016) have newer buildings, by the City's record.
Every line as printed
All 6 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Williams J35 East 56th, p. 268
- Williams Jas gdnr35 East 56th, p. 662
- Williams Fredk msngr335 East 56th, p. 662
- Williams Ruth lndrs IXL Lndy335 East 56th, p. 663
- *Williams Mrs E527 East 56th, p. 268
- Williams Eleanor wid F527 East 56th, p. 661
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.