This archival collection is composed of textual and graphic materials related to the Hudson's Bay Company, the fur trade in Canada, and early European settlement in Canada. The collection includes correspondence between high-ranking employees at Hudson's Bay Company fur trade posts, personal correspondence between settlers or Hudson's Bay Company employees and their families, and Hudson's Bay Company reports, proclamations, contracts, and others records. The involvement of Indigenous peoples in the Canadian fur trade is also described throughout this collection. With a few exceptions, most items within the collection were created during the early- to mid-1800s.
This archival collection contains a variety of documents pertaining to the fur trade and other political events in Canada between the years 1676 and 1933. Specifically, it contains printed material regarding the formation of the colony of British Columbia and its incorporation into Canada, as well as manuscripts that describe agreements and treaties made between the governments of the United States and Britain. The archive includes a wide range of business documents, including promissory notes, warrants, and other legal documents relating to payments and goods. It also contains a selection of Voyageur Contracts and documents pertaining to the Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company.
Place: Red River Settlement
From: Anne Alsop, London
To: Reverend John Smithurst
Details: 4pp
Delivery: Sent to Missionary House, 14 Salisbury Sq., Fleet Street, London
Notes: The letter talks about the events, situations, and friends they know in England.
Alsop, AnnePlace: Red River Settlement
From: Robert James, Grand Rapids
To: Reverend John Smithurst
Details: 2pp
Notes: A brief letter from James before the arrival of the Bishop (aka his Lordship).
James, RobertPlace: Red River Settlement
From: Alexander Christie, Lower Fort Garry
To: Mrs. Jeny Hickenburger ; Reverend John Smithurst
Details: 2pp
Notes: A pair of letters both written on the same day concerning the same matter. The first is written to "Mrs. Jenny Hickenburger" and the other to Reverend Smithurst regarding the death of Jenny Hickenburger's father. The letter requests that she attends Christie's office to sign the necessary paperwork for her to inherit her father's money. The letter to Smithurst requests his assistance in ensuring that his cousin does not redeem her HBC stock and instead accepts £9 per year as income.
Christie, AlexanderPlace: Red River Settlement
From: Duncan Finlayson
To: Reverend John Smithurst
Details: 2pp
Notes: A brief letter where Finlayson discusses financial matters.
Finlayson, DuncanPlace: Red River Settlement
From: James Hunter, Norway House
To: Reverend John Smithurst
Details: 3pp
Notes: Hunter goes into detail about the visit of the Bishop of Prince Rupert’s Land. He also writes of matters of business regarding food supplies for the winter, the price of freight from Red River to Norway House and the construction of the Church.
Place: Red River Settlement
From: David Anderson
To: Reverend John Smithurst
Details: 1pp
Notes: Probably delivered by hand.
Anderson, DavidPlace: Red River Settlement
From: K. G. Smith, Hudson's Bay House, London
To: Reverend John Smithurst
Details: 1pp
Notes: Smith mentions seven enclosed invoices and the amount and balance of a shipment.
Place: Red River Settlement
From: Reverend Abraham Cowley, Partridge Crop
To: Reverend John Smithurst
Details: 3pp
Notes: Partridge Crop was a missionary outpost on the northern reaches of Lake Manitoba, and was later renamed Fairford in 1851 by Bishop Anderson.
The outpost was on the left bank of the Partridge Crop River and was established by McNap for Winter trading with the Indigenous people. The lengthy letter from Cowley mentions topics such as the recent arrival of the bishop, his meeting of confirmation candidates and inspecting the school.
This letter would have travelled by canoe down Lake Winnipeg to the Red River.
Cowley, AbrahamPlace: Red River Settlement
From: Duncan Finlayson, Hudson's Bay House, Lachine
To: Reverend John Smithurst
Details: 2pp
Notes: In the letter, Duncan Finlayson advises John Smithurst of the subscription cost of two papers and the possible cost even if Smithurst thought he stopped the subscription.
Finlayson, DuncanPlace: Salisbury Street, Ireland
From: John Chapman, Missionary at Middle Church
To: Reverend John Smithurst, 18 Salisbury Street, Ireland
Details: 2pp
Notes: Chapman thanks Smithurst for newspapers and of his letter detailing his route to New York. He also discusses the status of the congregation and the building of a new church.
Chapman, JohnContains correspondences, personal and professional papers, diaries, scrapbooks, photographs, maps, financial and legal records, and AV materials. The collection is mainly comprised of records created by Samuel Steele, Marie Harwood Steele, Harwood Steele, and Flora Steele.
Explore the digital collection at http://steele.library.ualberta.ca/index.html
Macdonell, Albert Edward CortlandThe collection contains correspondence, field notes, and receipts that pertain to Robert Bell. This collection is organized into two series. The correspondence in Series 1 are arranged by name of correspondent. Most correspondence are incoming letters to Dr Bell sent to the Geological survey headquarters in Montreal, Quebec, from locations across Canada. The field notes in Series 2 are arranged chronologically.
Bell, RobertThe Roger Pocock Archive comprises of records created by or about Roger Pocock. Records created and collected by Pocock were done so over the course of his life and reflect his travels, occupations, and correspondence. These records include his scrapbooks, diaries, letters, contracts, clippings, published materials, photographs, and postcards. Records about Pocock were mostly created posthumously and include biographies and documents about the Legion of Frontiersmen. The archive is arranged into three series: Personal Papers, Published/Printed Materials, and Photographs and Postcards.
Pocock, Roger