Archives of Manitoba

Fur trade and saleshops engagement registers and character reports

1887-1912

4 volumes

Series contains three servant engagement registers for the fur trade and saleshops of the HBC and one volume of fur trade character reports for clerks and postmasters. The engagement registers include such information as names of employees, parish of origin, capacities, where they were stationed, where they were engaged, date of their engagement, monthly wages, their termination or retirement dates, and on occasion, some general remarks which usually dealt with the amount of notice employees were given prior to the renewal or termination of their contracts. The character reports provide the same information, plus the names of the various HBC officers writing the reports, the officers' comments on the characters of employees and their suitability for the position held.

The volumes are arranged alphabetically by employee. The fur trade engagement register dated 1887-1906 is subdivided into two alphabetically arranged lists, one for servants and the other for clerks, postmasters, and others.

Some original records have been withdrawn. These must be viewed on microfilm.

Researchers are responsible for observing copyright legislation. Permission may be required for any form of publication or exhibition where records are not in the public domain.

The Archives Department of the Hudson's Bay Company was created in London in the 1920s. The Archives Department had custody of the records until they were transferred on deposit to the Archives of Manitoba in 1974, according to the 1973 Agreement between the HBC and the Province of Manitoba. In 1994, the HBC donated the records to the Province to be maintained permanently by the Archives of Manitoba.

D.38/54-57