The 1921 Census for Canada was recently published online with a searchable index, on Ancestry.
When it first was released a few months ago as browsable images, unindexed, I searched diligently page by page, section by section, ward by ward. I knew both sets of grandparents were living in Vancouver in 1921, but search as I did, I found nothing. It was terribly frustrating, but I knew the searchable index would be done "soon", likely in a few months.
My Grandparents GILLESPIE had arrived in Canada in the previous decade: Grandpa in 1911, then he'd borrowed money from the Salvation Army and paid for Grandma and all 5 children (4-15 yrs) to come to Canada in November 1914. That's right, just after the first World War started. What a time that must have been, leaving Barrow in Furness, Lancashire, England, to cross the Atlantic Ocean in 3rd class, my grandmother with 5 children, and whatever they had shipped with them. Arriving in Canada, getting on the Canadian Pacific railway and travelling across Canada to the West Coast, to Vancouver BC. Finally meeting up with Grandpa after 3 long years apart. Courage, eh? Determination, and much more, I'm sure.
If you click on the Census image of Vancouver below, you can read details of Wm John GILLESPIE (always known as Jack), and Harriet GILLESPIE, plus the children: George, Winifred, John [Dad], and Elizabeth (known as Lil).
In 1921 the family shows up on the Census as living on the east side of Vancouver, at
1512 2nd Avenue East, with 4 of their 5 children. The eldest child, Elsie, had married only the year previous.
Reminder, must find Aunt Elsie & Uncle John on the Census as well, see where she and her husband were living!
My brother is a realtor, so he immediately went looking for the house. We didn't have much hope of finding an old house in that area, but my goodness, we hit pay dirt.
The house, built in 1910, is still standing, looking rather pretty in a simple way, in a narrow long lot.
It is two stories tall with a basement partially underground, a tall box-shape with a front porch, painted happy yellow with white trim, a white lilac bush on the right side by the house, a little white picket fence around the house. It's still there. What a charming find! You can see the little bit of cake decoration around the tops of the posts of the porch.
Here's another view:
In Vancouver many of these old 1900s clapboard houses have been torn down as waves of redevelopment washed over the city along with waves of new residents and immigrants. Somehow this house is still here, still looking like a home to a family. I'm thrilled, simply thrilled to see this.
Next, I'll be looking for my other Grandparents' home. They arrived in Vancouver around 1913, and lived on the west side of Vancouver.
Any questions or comments are always welcome. You can also email me at calewis at telus dot net
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