This Day in History, 1938: Street names and a Royal Visit stir debate

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Vancouver city council has a long history of arguing about matters it really shouldn’t get into.

Such was the case on Oct. 12, 1938, when council debated whether to clear up the confusion of having some street names start with “Mac” and some with “Mc.”

“In the attempt to cut the eternal Hibernian-Caledonian tangle it suggested adoption of a uniform spelling,” said a Vancouver Sun story. “As a result, (council) finds itself menaced on all sides by the claymores of the genuine Highland ‘Macs,’ while the Irish ‘Mcs’ are eagerly waiting up the back alley to bar its retreat with well-aimed half-bricks.”

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What prompted council to discuss it? The Civic Board of Works, which had requested a bylaw to “correct ‘McDonald’ and ‘McKenzie’ from 16th Avenue south, so in the future they will appear as ‘Macdonald’ and ‘Mackenzie.’”

Why? Because the streets were named after Canada’s first and second prime ministers, Sir John A. Macdonald, and Sir Alexander Mackenzie.

According to Elizabeth Walker’s excellent book Street Names of Vancouver, the problem arose in 1912, when Point Grey was a separate municipality above 16th Avenue.

Somebody in Point Grey was spelling-challenged, or maybe Irish, and named the streets McDonald and McKenzie, rather than the proper “Mac.” Point Grey amalgamated with Vancouver in 1929, but the different spellings remained.

The Sun asked Vancouver’s Mcs and Macs what they thought. Naturally, they were split.

Miss Flora Macrae thought instituting a uniform “Mc” or “Mac” was a bit heavy-handed.

“We are not in Germany yet, you know; they can’t do that!” she opined. “But if they do, it certainly should be ‘Mac,’ that’s the right way.”

J.H. McVety noted: “The ‘Mcs’ all come from the north of Ireland. It doesn’t make any difference how you spell it, but how are you going to get those Presbyterian Scots to agree to it?”

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In the end council compromised: the streets became Macdonald and Mackenzie, but the city still has many streets that begin with “Mc.”

It wasn’t the biggest controversy on council that week. Ald. Helana Gutteridge got civic monarchists all in a tizzy when she suggested an upcoming Royal Tour of Canada was a “circus.”

The full quote was her version of an old Roman saying: “Give the people bread and a circus and they’ll be satisfied.”

“I think the British Royal Family are very nice people,” Gutteridge told The Sun. “I think their idea of their travelling through Canada is a nice one.

“But I believe that the Tourist Association and all those bodies concerned, who stand to benefit, should initiate the plans and then ask the endorsement and support of the city council, and not necessarily financial support.”

Ald. H.J. DeGraves leapt to his feet to “lay a vigorous protest” to the Civic Finance committee, where Gutteridge had made her remark.

“If you think entertaining the King and Queen is putting on a circus, you’ve got another thing coming,” said DeGraves.

A.F. Barton of the Federated Ratepayers Association defended the possible Royal Visit, which he thought would be “a grand thing for Vancouver.”

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“Loyalty is one of the keenest emotions that we who are linked with the Old Country feel,” said Barton. “But aside from loyalty, a visit from Their Majesties will undoubtedly be a big tourist attraction for Vancouver.”

Gutteridge said that she had been “annoyed” when the subject of a Royal Visit came up. The Great Depression was still on, and she felt there were more pressing matters.

“All day we’d been discussing the city’s deficit and relief,” she said. “Old people have to depend on their children, some of whom aren’t making more than $45 a month, to support them.”

The finance committee approved a motion to start planning for the Royal Visit, with the aid of the Tourist Association, school board and park board.

Ald. H.D. Wilson suggested the city wouldn’t have to bear all the costs.

“For the benefit of Miss Gutteridge’s conscience,” Wilson said, “I feel certain the merchants will be called upon and willingly donate, as they did for our Golden Jubilee.”

Gutteridge shot back that no one need worry about her conscience.

“It’s cast iron,” she said. “I’m just worrying about the poor people of Vancouver.”

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