Vancouver / Names / W / Wilson / West 17th Avenue

A family name on West 17th Avenue, South Cambie, Riley Park, Shaughnessy, Arbutus Ridge and Dunbar-Southlands

The Wilsons

In the city directories 1940 · five people at five addresses

The directories print five people named Wilson at five addresses in 1940, all on West 17th Avenue, 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

    166 West 17th Avenue

    Riley Park, 1940

    • R Wilson, a student 1940

    Next door in 1940: J Cooper at 146 and C Gordon at 174. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    195 West 17th Avenue

    Riley Park, 1940

    • H D Wilson, a chief announcer 1940

    Next door in 1940: B C Nash at 191. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    3586 West 17th Avenue

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • Mrs M I Wilson, widow of N 1940

    Next door in 1940: V H Melton at 3580. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    3952 West 17th Avenue

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • S M Wilson, on active service 1940

    Next door in 1940: J Deans at 3958. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    4044 West 17th Avenue

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • J F Wilson, a watchman 1940

    Next door in 1940: A J North at 4038. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for three of the five: a chief announcer, an on active service and a watchman. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Dunbar-Southlands (3) and Riley Park (2). 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 R Wilson at 166 West 17th 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 Robert Wilson there as the householder, a master mariner at the Union Steamship Company, with Robert F J Wilson, a student. In 1940 the directory lists H D Wilson at 195 West 17th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists H Don Wilson there as the householder, a chief announcer.

In 1940 the directory lists Mrs M I Wilson at 3586 West 17th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Margaret I Wilson there as the householder, widow of N. In 1940 the directory lists S M Wilson at 3952 West 17th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Stan M Wilson there as the householder, on active service.

In 1940 the directory lists J F Wilson at 4044 West 17th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists John F Wilson there as the householder, a watchman.

Today

166 West 17th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1912 by the City's record; 195 West 17th (1990), 3586 West 17th (2005) and 3952 West 17th (2002) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 4044 West 17th, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 11 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.