British North America circa 1823

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Hudson's Bay Districts

In March 1821, the North West Company and Hudson’s Bay Company amalgamated and on December 5 of the year, under an Act of Parliament (dated July 2, 1821), the new company, which retained the name Hudson’s Bay Company, was granted exclusive trade with the Aboriginals in British North America by the Colonial Office. As before, the Governor and Committee of the Hudson’s Bay Company in London directed all affairs of the Company.

By 1823, British North America had been divided into a Northern and Southern Department. Each Department was subdivided into fur trading districts presided over by a governor appointed by and responsible to the London Committee. A council of chief factors and traders from each of the districts aided him. They were also appointed by the London Committee.

• Northern and Southern Departments

In 1811, the Earl of Selkirk, principal stockholder in the Hudson’s Bay Company, had obtained a grant from the Company for 116 000 square miles (300 500 square kilometres) to establish a colony on the Red River.

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Painting of Early Settlers Arriving at the Red River Colony, 1812

The District of Assiniboia, as the grant was called, was administered by a governor, first appointed by the London Committee in 1821, and a small council. Since Assiniboia lay within in the Northern Department, the governor of the latter Department was considered the more senior of the two. Both governors were responsible to the London Committee.

The only significant part of British North America outside the Hudson’s Bay Company control in which trade with the natives was pursued was the old Domaine du Roi containing the King’s Posts (a fur trading company). John Goudie of Québec had obtained the lease to this area in 1821. East of that part of Mingan seigniory controlled by the Company and in the southern part of Upper Canada were some independent traders. The number of these and their locations are difficult to establish.

Northern and Southern Departments

The Northern Department had 15 districts containing, by the end of 1823, some 60 posts of which York Factory was the entrepôt and administrative centre. The Southern Department had eight southern districts containing some 30 posts administered from Moose Factory.

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Hudson's Bay Company store at Moose Factory, Ontario, with scales for weighing. Established in 1672 to 1673, it was the second trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company.

A southern (Montréal) district and the posts within the Mille Vache, Portneuf and Mingan seigniories were administered from Lachine by McGillivrays, Thain and Company, agents of the Hudson’s Bay Company. The seigniories had been leased by the Company in 1821 for 21 years; Mille Vache with Port Neuf for £300 and Mingan for £500 per year.