George Barnston
Encyclopedia
George Barnston was a fur trader and a naturalist born in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Barnston was trained as a surveyor and army engineer. He joined the North West Company
in 1820 and was retained by the Hudson’s Bay Company after the 1821 amalgamation. He began his HBC career at York Factory (Manitoba) and from there he helped outfit two forts in the south; Lower Fort Garry
, and Fort du Bas de la Rivière at the mouth of the Winnipeg River
.
From 1826-1832 his postings took him to various posts on the Pacific coast and, subsequently, to Fort Albany
. From there, he founded Fort Concord to extend the company’s trade into the Winisk River
area. Next was Martin Falls where he worked for six years; and then transferred to Fort Albany as Chief Trader. His last posting was Norway House where he stayed until he retired to Montreal. During his stay he outfitted a number of northern expeditions including those of John Rae
. He was also arrested a free trader, Andrew Bannatyne
in an attempt to protect the HBC monopoly in the area.
During his working life with the HBC, Barnston was a student of the natural history of the various areas and his specimens are in the Smithsonian Institution
, the British Museum
and the Redpath Museum
at McGill
. He wrote regularly for the Canadian Naturalist and often for the Ibis as well.
Barnston was trained as a surveyor and army engineer. He joined the North West Company
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
in 1820 and was retained by the Hudson’s Bay Company after the 1821 amalgamation. He began his HBC career at York Factory (Manitoba) and from there he helped outfit two forts in the south; Lower Fort Garry
Lower Fort Garry
Lower Fort Garry was built in 1830 by the Hudson's Bay Company on the western bank of the Red River, north of the original Fort Garry, which is now in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Treaty 1 was signed there....
, and Fort du Bas de la Rivière at the mouth of the Winnipeg River
Winnipeg River
The Winnipeg River is a Canadian river which flows from Lake of the Woods in the province of Ontario to Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. This river is long from the Norman Dam in Kenora to its mouth at Lake Winnipeg. Its watershed is in area, mainly in Canada. About of this area is in northern...
.
From 1826-1832 his postings took him to various posts on the Pacific coast and, subsequently, to Fort Albany
Fort Albany
Fort Albany may refer to:* Fort Albany, Ontario, Canada* Fort Albany , a bastioned earthwork built during the American Civil War* Fort Frederick , an English fort at the current site of Albany, New York, later known as Fort Albany...
. From there, he founded Fort Concord to extend the company’s trade into the Winisk River
Winisk River
The Winisk River is a river in northern Ontario, Canada, that starts at Wunnummin Lake and flows east to Winisk Lake. From there it continues in a mostly northly direction to Hudson Bay. The Winisk River is 475 km long and has a drainage basin of . The name is from Cree origin meaning...
area. Next was Martin Falls where he worked for six years; and then transferred to Fort Albany as Chief Trader. His last posting was Norway House where he stayed until he retired to Montreal. During his stay he outfitted a number of northern expeditions including those of John Rae
John Rae (explorer)
John Rae was a Scottish doctor who explored Northern Canada, surveyed parts of the Northwest Passage and reported the fate of the Franklin Expedition....
. He was also arrested a free trader, Andrew Bannatyne
Andrew Bannatyne
Andrew Graham Ballenden Bannatyne was a Canadian politician, fur trader and leading citizen of Winnipeg, Manitoba....
in an attempt to protect the HBC monopoly in the area.
During his working life with the HBC, Barnston was a student of the natural history of the various areas and his specimens are in the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
, the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
and the Redpath Museum
Redpath Museum
The Redpath Museum is a museum of natural history belonging to McGill University and located on the university's campus at 859 Sherbrooke Street West in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was built in 1882 as a gift from the sugar baron Peter Redpath. It houses collections of interest to ethnology,...
at McGill
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
. He wrote regularly for the Canadian Naturalist and often for the Ibis as well.