Northern Canada late 1950’s

[npaisnel]

My father was a ‘fur trader’ in the 1950’s for the Hudson Bay Company

I transferred his cine film in about 2008 to video with the intention of getting it edited with him doing a voice over. He has lost his sight now so that is not possible. Last week I put the raw unedited videos up on YpuTube

Some of you might find interest in them and the subsequent newspaper article

https://www.timminstoday.com/local-n...medium=twitter

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...seSQCL828Aj0eC

[maltesefalcon]

Originally Posted by npaisnel

My father was a ‘fur trader’ in the 1950’s for the Hudson Bay Company

I transferred his cine film in about 2008 to video with the intention of getting it edited with him doing a voice over. He has lost his sight now so that is not possible. Last week I put the raw unedited videos up on YpuTube

Some of you might find interest in them and the subsequent newspaper article

https://www.timminstoday.com/local-n...medium=twitter

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...seSQCL828Aj0eC

Another era. I saw a small glimpse of this when I lived in Manitouwadge Ontario in the early 1970s. The only store in this small mining community was a real Hudson Bay store, nothing like you see in malls today.

The main income generators were the two hard rock mines and a lumber camp. But there were local first nations and professional trappers too. There was a depot around back you could trade fish and pelts for store credit.

I took the train from here to Sudbury once. The first leg of the trip was just a passenger car tacked onto the back of an ore train. You rode 2 hours to Hornepayne before you could even buy a ticket.

There were flag stops on the route where you could stop the train just like a city bus. At one stop a real fur trader hopped aboard. He looked just like Grizzly Adams. Since I was the only other person in the car I was a bit apprehensive.

But he was friendly and pulled a jug of whisky out his pack and offered a snort. I was only 18 at the time and not used to drinking, so I was pretty well hammered by the time we had to get off.

[Knuckles]

Thanks for sharing. I grew up in southern Ontario in the 60's and always looked forward to going to my uncles cabin in the north country.

[npaisnel]

Brilliant stories like that from my father too

He has been back 6-7 times since then, visiting family etc in Guelph, Westmeath and over the other side in BC.

Dad has seen these villages go from vibrant little happy places to what they are now, due as he sees it, to the anti-fur lobby. The local Indians (as he still calls them refusing any modern PC nonsense), now do not have the income stream from fur that they used to. Animal rights, but stuff the people !
��

[maltesefalcon]

Originally Posted by npaisnel

Brilliant stories like that from my father too

He has been back 6-7 times since then, visiting family etc in Guelph, Westmeath and over the other side in BC.

Dad has seen these villages go from vibrant little happy places to what they are now, due as he sees it, to the anti-fur lobby. The local Indians (as he still calls them refusing any modern PC nonsense), now do not have the income stream from fur that they used to. Animal rights, but stuff the people !
��

Not sure about Westmeath, but Guelph is certainly not a village nor has it been for well over 100 years. Current population is 130k and even in 1950 was 30k.

[npaisnel]

I meant he has been back to the villages / townships/ reservations in the cine films, not that Guelph is a village.

One place, Pagwa River is deserted now.

Westmeath is where the family farm is, North West of Ottawa,

[XL Ed]

Guelph even has a rush hour now. At least around my work. I can't wait to retire.

[npaisnel]

Yes,
I know Guelph, my cousins live there
Koch Drive