Vancouver / Names / W / Williston

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Willistons

In the city directories 1940 · four people at four addresses

The directories print four people named Williston at four addresses in 1940 in three of the city's neighbourhoods. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family.

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 Willistons 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

    2428 Franklin Street

    Hastings-Sunrise, 1940

    • A A Williston, a cook 1940

    Next door in 1940: A C Stanton at 2424 and J W Lidstone at 2430. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1662 Nelson Street

    West End, 1940

    • E McD Williston 1940

    Next door in 1940: J T Mathews at 1656 and Mrs L V Andrews at 1668. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    3267 Parker Street

    Hastings-Sunrise, 1940

    • Francis Williston, a logger 1940

    Next door in 1940: R A McConnachie at 3261 and H W Thompson at 3279. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    4228 West 12th Avenue

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • Rosabelle M Williston 1940

    Next door in 1940: M Y Rioual at 4218 and T W Sturt at 4246. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for two of the four: a cook and a logger.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Hastings-Sunrise (2), West End and West Point Grey. 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 A A Williston at 2428 Franklin 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 Alex A Williston there as the householder, a cook. In 1940 the directory lists E McD Williston at 1662 Nelson Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Edgar McD Williston there as the householder.

The 1940 name section lists Francis Williston at 3267 Parker Street, a logger. The 1940 name section lists Rosabelle M Williston at 4228 West 12th Avenue.

Today

2428 Franklin, 3267 Parker and 4228 West 12th still have their buildings from before 1946; the City no longer lists 1662 Nelson, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 6 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 Willistons

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Williston 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.