Hudson's Bay Company Archives

The Archives of the Hudson's Bay Company (English Hudson 's Bay Company Archives) located in Winnipeg and is a division of the Canadian province of Manitoba Archives (Archives of Manitoba ). It preserves all the archives that have arisen in connection with the Hudson 's Bay Company ( HBC), that dates back to its founding in 1670. Thus, the focus of the trading company, represented starting with the fur trade, the exploration of the American continent, the experience of the First Nations, the economic development of the British colony and the early history of Canada in a very rich source. Its legal basis is the one of the Archives and Record Keeping Act (2003) and the Donation Agreement between the HBC and the Province of Manitoba (1994). 2008, the Institute had 16 full-time employees.

History of the Archive

Headquarters of the HBC was the British capital London. The first catalog of the now greatly grown stocks originated 1796th However, until the 1920s, the archive only served the needs of the HBC, and only a few privileged users were granted permission to enter the archive. Since that time, however, the idea prevailed that the records that were less for the British than for the Canadian and U.S. history is important, the researchers of these countries should be made available. To support the staff of the Archives Department in London their North American counterparts and offered them easier access and job search.

This changed in 1970, when the headquarters of the HBC relocated to Canada. Three years later they signed an agreement with the Archives of Manitoba, permanently borrow the records and 1974, the irreplaceable documents were shipped to North America. On 27 January, they moved into their permanent home at its present location. Since 1995, the archive is open to the public.

Archives

From the beginning, the HBC has insisted on reports of their employees. Today you fill a significant portion of the 3,000 shelf meters of archival records. The oldest dates from 1671 and consists of decisions of Governor and Committee of the Company. All the so-called minute books have survived from 1671 to 1970, only a four-year gap yawns. The resulting within the HBC journals are private diaries, letters and other exploration records. Finally, at least since 1920 microfilms and photocopies from other archives have been collected which are available here also. The finding aids are systematically assigned to the eight departments:

In addition, you can search through biographical entries.

Another important approach is the way of the cards the HBC items that have spread over an area of ​​well over 10 million square kilometers. So the records, as far as possible, the individual trade items are assigned.

An important project of the HBC is the Oral History Project, which deals with the oral tradition, especially since the time of the Great Depression. Sub-companies or those that have been adopted, such as Zellers, Simpsons, Woodward's or Morgan's be explored by interviewing former employees.

Library

With the acquisition of the book collection of The Beaver magazine in 2000, the library has been able to greatly expand their holdings. It currently comprises around 10,000 titles, including holdings of rare books, as the private library of the fur trader Peter Fidler ( 1769-1822 ) or individual trading posts, such as the York Factory. Since 2005, the stocks z.T. also available online.

Access routes

Like most archives, as well as the HBC Archives in several ways is accessible. First and most important way is the archive itself is the building located in 130-200 Vaughan Street in Downtown Winnipeg. The resulting building in 1932 (Winnipeg Auditorium was its original name) is also the seat of the Legislative Library, so the library of the Legislative Assembly, the highest political body of the province. 1974 moved here the Provincial Archives of Manitoba, as the institution at that time still called. The entrance is located near the corner of Vaughan Street / St. Mary Avenue.

Very often the archive of Canadians is claimed, would like to operate the family research. There are a Genealogical Guide, so a genealogy guide. In order to cope with the rush, is, however, strongly advised that initially all other options ( oral tradition, publications such as newspapers and other publications, etc.) should be exhausted before one visits the archive, because such a visit, given the masses of tradition fail.

At the first visit a so-called Research pass is free ( no credit cards, etc. ) upon presentation of an identity card or other means of identification issued. For this purpose, before contact should already be included.

However, the stocks are also partially accessible from outside. There's not only a database, but also access to microfilms. The microfilms are ordered by: Court Records, Government Records, individuals ' private papers, Municipal Records, Private Organizations, School Records and a Master Alphabetical List.

Another way to get to archives, is the job search. Here are against a fee scientifically preformed people for genealogical research or for a general search. This division of labor makes the enormous weight of genealogy clearly. In January 2008, 11 and 18 scientists were ready for this activity.