The British West

Unfreezing the History of the “Great White North” 1763-1890

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Scottish fishermen ca.1845

The earliest European visitors to visit the shores of Canada after the failure of the Viking colonies in Newfoundland were fishermen in the 16th and early 17th century. Canada’s eastern coast and inlets provided vast amounts of cod and other fish desperately needed in Europe, who’s fisheries had been vastly depleted during the Middle Ages.

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Canadian militia ca. 1867. The Fenian Raids were a direct influence on Confederation, with provinces banding together for mutual protection. The Fenians were an Irish Republican organisation, with the single goal of creating an independent Irish nation free of British rule. Using the American Civil War as a training ground, Irish Americans concocted a scheme to invade Canada and hold the provinces hostage in exchange for Irish freedom. Needless to say, this did not go over well...

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Mixed-race Quebecois as they would’ve appeared circa 1800. These are some of the earliest forerunners of the modern Metis, a unique culture of mixed European and Indigenous origin. Historically, terms such as “breed”, “creole”, and “Canadien” were common for these people, but have fallen by the wayside. Their contribution to history cannot be understated, as many served as the backbone of the fur trade. Skilled watermen, with family connections and invaluable language skills, their presence was an asset to the fur companies north and south of the present border.

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A soldier of the 41st Regiment of Foot as he would have appeared in 1812. The 41st was primarily recruited in the Northern Irish province of Ulster, and was stationed to the Canadian frontier. They fought bravely, though were known for a high rate of desertion to the American side of the line prior to the war. Many of these veterans would be resettled in Canada following the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815. The Bathurst plan resettled thousands of Scottish and Irish families in Upper Canada in the decades following the war, starting with former soldiers and their families. This would provide a new spark in the genesis of modern Canada.

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A voyage to Hudson’s Bay, 1821. The namesake of the infamous fur company and a gateway to the North American Continent. Untold millions of dollars worth of goods have passed through these icy waters on their way to all corners of the globe.