The Scots who arrived in Pictou, Nova Scotia, on the Hector in 1773 epitomise the early Highland emigrant. Civilian emigration was stimulated by fractures caused to the crofters’ way of life by improvements on Highland estates, their overpopulation, periodic crop failures and the devaluation of the price of cattle, and, after 1815, by the collapse of the kelp industry. It was not until the later 18th century that Scots arrived in Canada in significant numbers. This contry which I am into is wery helthy and ther is abowndance of wild fowlls and venison to be had in it, it is full of woods and in the wintertime it is very cowld and all the rivers and a great part of the sea is frosen fast that yow may goe with cotches and hoars six month in the year, itt continoweth firm from the midell of October to the midell of Aprile cowld weather and frising but in the summer it was warm as in Ingland…My busynes hear in the contry is to goe in the spring into on of the vessels from the factory at Charilton Island with the goods that hath bein treaded from the Ingens and ther to put them on shoar that they may be takin accownt of, and packed up to be in redynes to put aboard of the ships when they come ther from Inglandĭetail from a letter by Thomas Bannatyne, Charilton Island in Hudson’s Bay, 21 August 1684 On 21 August 1684 Thomas Bannatyne wrote from Charlton Island to his parents telling them: ![]() For these visitors, life was challenging as they fought to survive bitter winters in the wilderness. Employees of the Hudson’s Bay Company migrated temporarily to large areas of northern Canada, often for three to five years. Some Scots ventured to Canada through their work in the fur trade. The few Scots who did participate in Sir William’s schemes encountered vigorous opposition from the French who claimed that area as part of New France.ĭetail from the sasine granting Scotland lawful possession of Nova Scotia, 1 October 1625 Ī plaque commemorating Scotland’s lawful possession of Nova Scotia at Edinburgh Castle Although over 300 baronetcies were purchased between 16, the creation of the new order failed to encourage colonisation. To encourage finance and enthusiasm for the voyage, the King established a new order of nobility – the Baronets of Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia (New Scotland) was founded in 1621 by King James VI and I following the acquisition of a vast tract of land by Sir William Alexander of Menstrie, later Earl of Stirling, encompassing Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Gaspé Peninsula. It took another 500 years, however, until several European colonies were established in Canada. ![]() QUICK LINK: JOIN THE HISTORY SCOTLAND NEWSLETTER HERE AND GET SCOTTISH HISTORY DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX! One of the earliest documented sources of Scots landing on what we today call Canada, comes from the Saga of Eric the Red and the Viking expedition of 1010 AD to Vinland (Newfoundland), when the Viking Prince Thorfinn Karlsefni took two Scottish slaves on the voyage. ![]() Scots have ventured to Canada for different reasons for over 1,000 years.
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