Vancouver / Names / W / Willis / Robson Street

A family name on Robson Street, West End and Downtown

The Willises

In the city directories 1940 · two people at two addresses

The directories print two people named Willis at two addresses in 1940, all on Robson Street. 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 36 other streets too, all listed on the Willis 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 Willises 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

    915 Robson Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • Mrs S A Willis, widow of A 1940

    Next door in 1940: Morgan & Paris at 911 and Arts Richmond at 919. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1542 Robson Street

    West End, 1940

    • Sadie L Willis, an operator at National Dress 1940

    Next door in 1940: J Broatch at 1536 and H Bate at 1588. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for one of the two: an operator. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Downtown 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 Mrs S A Willis at 915 Robson Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Sarah A Willis there as the householder, widow of A. The 1940 name section lists Sadie L Willis at 1542 Robson Street, an operator at National Dress.

Today

1542 Robson (1978) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 915 Robson, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 3 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 Willises

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Willis 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.

One email, when it's ready. We use your email for nothing else and never share it. Privacy

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.