Vancouver / Names / W / Wilson / Ontario Street

A family name on Ontario Street, Riley Park, Mount Pleasant, Oakridge, Sunset and Marpole

The Wilsons

In the city directories 1940 · four people at three addresses

The directories print four people named Wilson at three addresses in 1940, all on Ontario Street, with the close spelling Willson. 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 224 other streets too, all listed on the Wilson 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 Wilsons 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

    2304 Ontario Street

    Mount Pleasant, 1940

    • T Wilson, a salesman at Associated Dairies 1940
    • Janet Wilson, a saleswoman at Woodward's 1940

    Next door in 1940: C J Deeming at 2314. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    4258 Ontario Street

    Riley Park, 1940

    • A Wilson, a laborer 1940

    Next door in 1940: W Cousin at 4244 and J F Neilson at 4288. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    4356 Ontario Street

    Riley Park, 1940

    • R Wilson 1940

    Next door in 1940: D F Rennie at 4312 and A Woods at 4378. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for three of the four: a laborer, a salesman and a saleswoman.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Riley Park (2) and Mount Pleasant. 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 T Wilson at 2304 Ontario Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Thomas Wilson there as the householder, a salesman at Associated Dairies, with Janet Wilson, a saleswoman at Woodward's. In 1940 the directory lists A Wilson at 4258 Ontario 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 lists Alex Wilson there as the householder, a laborer.

In 1940 the directory lists R Wilson at 4356 Ontario Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Robert Wilson there as the householder.

Today

4258 Ontario (1977) and 4356 Ontario (1981) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 2304 Ontario, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

A large group, Rev. Ebenezer Robson among them, in front of Mount Pleasant Methodist Church
About 1907 A large group, Rev. Ebenezer Robson among them, in front of Mount Pleasant Methodist Church. Not at the house at 2304 Ontario: no archive photo of the 2300 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, Ch P166. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 7 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 Wilsons

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Wilson 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.