A family name on Main Street, Riley Park, Strathcona, Downtown, Mount Pleasant and Sunset
The Wongs
In the city directories 1940 · five people at four addresses
The directories print five people named Wong at four addresses in 1940, all on Main Street. 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 32 other streets too, all listed on the Wong 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 Wongs lived
- 1
436 Main Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Mow Wong, proprietor of Modern Silk 1940
Next door in 1940: E J Booker at 434 and Empress Studio at 438. The block, door by door
- 2
537 Main Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Steven Wong, proprietor of Club Cafe 1940
Next door in 1940: Lang M & Co at 535 and H G Faghin at 539. The block, door by door
- 3
548 Main Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Miss B Wong, a barber 1940
- Betty Wong, a barber 1940
Next door in 1940: “Orientals” at 546 and F Johns at 550. The block, door by door
- 4
634 Main Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Doo Wong, proprietor of New Royal Cafe 1940
Next door in 1940: New Royal Cafe at 632 and Handy Second Hd Store at 636. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for four of the five: a proprietor (3) and a barber.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Strathcona (4). 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 Mow Wong at 436 Main Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Mow Wong there as the householder, proprietor of Modern Silk. The 1940 name section lists Steven Wong at 537 Main Street, proprietor of Club Cafe.
Miss B Wong, a barber, is listed at 548 Main Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Betty Wong there, a barber. Doo Wong is listed at 634 Main Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Doo Wong there as the householder, proprietor of New Royal Cafe.
Today
537 Main (2002) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 436 Main, 548 Main and 634 Main, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 7 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
The book of the Wongs
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Wong 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.