British Columbia / B.C. Postal History - VANCOUVER SUB POST OFFICE No. 1 - Examples of CDS Cancels (B1) and Registered Box Markings (R3, R4 & R5) on Piece and Stamp (#1)

Ex Andrew Scott collection who spent 50 years putting this amazing collection together...

Vancouver Sub 1
opened 1 July 1904 to 1972
1981 to 1985

Link to all the Postmasters who worked at Vancouver Sub 1 - www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/postal-heritage-philately/...;

Location - City of Vancouver - 1904-07-01
Location - 998 Denman St.
Location - 1000 Denman St.
Location - 1787 Davie St. - 1953-12-31
Location - 1783 Davie St. - 1962-12-28

Showing an example of the ERD (earliest recorded date) B1 - / VANCOUVER • B.C. / AU 23 / 20 / S.O.1 / cds hammer - this hammer was proofed - 27 July 1911.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The first Postmaster of Vancouver Sub No. 1 was Andrew Murray, (1866-1913) He was a grocer who lived at 998 Denman Street from 1904 to 1906. Andrew Murray was born in Scotland in February 1866 (some sources say 1863). He arrived in Canada about 1896. He first appeared in the Vancouver directories in 1904. He was a grocer, living at 998 Denman Street. LINK to the complete article - westendvancouver.wordpress.com/biographies-a-m/biographie...

The second Postmaster at Vancouver Sub No. 1 was William Lyon Mackenzie (about 1868-1909) - who was a grocer who lived at 1000 Denman Street from 1907 to 1909. William Lyon Mackenzie was born in Ontario about 1868. It is not clear where in Ontario he was born, or who his parents were. From 1907 to 1909, he was a grocer at 1000 Denman Street. From 1908 to 1909, his business was called “W.L. Mackenzie and Company.” William died in Vancouver on August 26, 1909. Link to the complete article - westendvancouver.wordpress.com/biographies-a-m/biographie...

Margaret Mackenzie was William’s widow. She lived at 1000 Denman Street in 1910. She took over as Postmistress from - 28 October 1909 until she resigned in 1910.

The fourth Postmaster at Vancouver Sub Post Office No. 1 was Milton Thomas Greene (1877-1940) - operated a grocery store at 1000 Denman Street from about 1911 to 1930. He lived at 1000 Denman Street from about 1907 to 1920. His grocery store was at 947 Denman Street in 1931 and at 955 Denman Street in 1932 and 1933. Milton Thomas Greene was born on December 7, 1877, in Fitzroy (or Almonte), Ontario. He arrived in Vancouver about 1905. By 1907, he was working as a milkman. He was rooming at 1000 Denman Street, with William Lyon Mackenzie (1868-1909), who ran a grocery store at 1000 Denman Street. By 1908, Milton appeared in the Vancouver directory as an employee of W.L. MacKenzie and Company. After William Lyon MacKenzie died in Vancouver on August 26, 1909, William’s widow, Margaret, ran the grocery store for about a year. On July 1, 1910, in Vancouver, Milton married Agnes Alice Harper. Milton and Agnes continued to live at 1000 Denman Street until about 1920. By 1920, the grocery store was still at 1000 Denman, but Milton and Agnes were living at 1750 Nelson Street. Link to the complete article - westendvancouver.wordpress.com/biographies-a-m/biographie...

George Torrance Cunningham was the Postmaster at Sub No. 1 from - 16 June 1914 to 18 May 1956 in the Sub Post Office which was located at - 998 Denman St. in the Cunningham Drug Company Store. John Morton built this building about 1903.

998 Denman Street was the site of a Drug Store at the northeast corner of Denman Street and Nelson Street. Link to article - westendvancouver.wordpress.com/streets-a-to-h/denman-stre...

George Torrance Cunningham was a druggist who lived at 1825 Robson Street in 1913 and 1914. His first store was at the corner of Nelson Street and Denman Street. He later operated a large chain of drug stores in British Columbia and Alberta. He was born in North Dakota in 1889. His father was James Alexander Cunningham (1859-1945). His mother was Helen Torrance (1865-1939). By 1891, George and his family had arrived in New Westminster, British Columbia. In 1904, he began working as an apprentice druggist in Woodward’s Department Store in Vancouver. He also worked at William M. Harrison’s drug store and post office, which was at the corner of Pender Street and Granville Street. In 1909 George graduated from the Ontario College of Pharmacy. He later continued his studies at New York and Chicago. By February 1911, George was back in Vancouver. He opened “Store Number One” at the corner of Nelson Street and Denman Street. Link to his complete life story - westendvancouver.wordpress.com/biographies-a-m/biographie...

His son Ralph Torrance Cunningham replaced him as Postmaster of Sub 1 when he retired - and was in that position from - 4 September 1956 to 17 December 1962. Ralph Torrance Cunningham was born in Vancouver on October 10, 1918. He became president of Cunningham Drug Stores. He was married to Norma. Ralph died in Vancouver on December 20, 2003.

Link to photo showing Isaacs Pharmacy at 1787 Davie Street - on Davie at Denman - searcharchives.vancouver.ca/uploads/r/null/8/9/89224fef14... Frank Edward Isaacs was the Postmaster at Vancouver Sub No. 1 starting - 28 December 1962. Frank Isaacs junior owned several Isaacs Pharmacies including one at 16th Street and Lonsdale, and several in Vancouver. Frank junior also owned a wholesale drug distribution house in Vancouver.

Taken on: December 13, 2019

Tags:

Circular Date Stamp

Postal Way Office

post office

British Columbia

postal history

B.C.

County

split ring

broken circle

split circle

postmark

cancel

cancellation

marking

SON

mail

letter

stamp

Canada

British Columbia Postal History

Canada Post

Sub 1

Vancouver Sub No. 1

Vancouver Sub 1

reference material

Andrew Murray

William Lyon MacKenzie

Margaret MacKenzie

Milton Thomas Greene

George Torrance Cunningham

Ralph Torrance Cunningham

Frank Edward Isaacs

Drug Store

Grocery Store « less

Sets appears in: • Vancouver Sub No. 1 Post Office • British Columbia / B.C. / Postal History - Split Ring Cancels / Postmarks Etc.

Groups appears in: • Postmarks • Postage Stamps and Postmarks more » • Post/mail/stamps related postcards • Postal History • in explore • STAMPS OF THE WORLD AND SPAIN • BEAUTY PHOTOS AROUND THE WORLD « less

Stats: 6,871 views / 1 comment

go back