Nonsuch (ship)
Encyclopedia
The Nonsuch was the ketch
that sailed into Hudson Bay
in 1668-1669 under Zachariah Gillam
, in the first trading voyage for what was to become the Hudson's Bay Company
two years later. Originally built as a merchant ship in 1650, and later the Royal Navy
ketch
HMS Nonsuch, the vessel was sold to Sir William Warren in 1667. The name means "none such", i.e. "unequalled". The ship was at the time considered smaller than many others but was specifically selected because of its small size so that when she arrived in the Hudson Bay and the James Bay she could be sailed up-river and taken out of water so the thick ice of the bay wouldn't crush her.
A replica of the original Nonsuch was commissioned by the HBC to celebrate their tercentenary in 1970. It was crafted using tools and materials familiar to the seventeenth century. She was crafted to be as close as possible to the original and featured many of the features ships of the time would have had such as "hiding cabins" (small bunks hidden within a cupboard). The vessel has peg board used for tracking position and speed, a charlie mobile (a chimney with a mobile head). Like the original she was armed, and in the case of the replica carried six two-pound muzzle loading smoothbore guns. As with most ships of the era she was very ornate carrying many carvings that took months to complete. When completed, it was placed on a ship and transported to Canada, where it sailed down the Atlantic coast of Canada and the United States. It also sailed through the Great Lakes
and then was placed on a semi trailer and taken to Seattle
for a voyage down the Pacific coast. It was presented by HBC to the citizens of Manitoba
and placed on permanent display in 1973 in the Nonsuch Gallery at the Manitoba Museum
in Winnipeg, Manitoba
(then called the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature). Built specifically for the ship, it is a 90-foot gallery giving the feel of a seventeenth-century scene to visitors and shows the ship at the English port of Deptford
, just before embarking on her journey to Hudson Bay.
Length o/a: 54'
draught: 6'
Ketch
A ketch is a sailing craft with two masts: a main mast, and a shorter mizzen mast abaft of the main mast, but forward of the rudder post. Both masts are rigged mainly fore-and-aft. From one to three jibs may be carried forward of the main mast when going to windward...
that sailed into Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
in 1668-1669 under Zachariah Gillam
Zachariah Gillam
Zachariah Gillam was one of a family of New England sea captains involved in the early days of the Hudson's Bay Company....
, in the first trading voyage for what was to become the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
two years later. Originally built as a merchant ship in 1650, and later the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
ketch
Ketch
A ketch is a sailing craft with two masts: a main mast, and a shorter mizzen mast abaft of the main mast, but forward of the rudder post. Both masts are rigged mainly fore-and-aft. From one to three jibs may be carried forward of the main mast when going to windward...
HMS Nonsuch, the vessel was sold to Sir William Warren in 1667. The name means "none such", i.e. "unequalled". The ship was at the time considered smaller than many others but was specifically selected because of its small size so that when she arrived in the Hudson Bay and the James Bay she could be sailed up-river and taken out of water so the thick ice of the bay wouldn't crush her.
A replica of the original Nonsuch was commissioned by the HBC to celebrate their tercentenary in 1970. It was crafted using tools and materials familiar to the seventeenth century. She was crafted to be as close as possible to the original and featured many of the features ships of the time would have had such as "hiding cabins" (small bunks hidden within a cupboard). The vessel has peg board used for tracking position and speed, a charlie mobile (a chimney with a mobile head). Like the original she was armed, and in the case of the replica carried six two-pound muzzle loading smoothbore guns. As with most ships of the era she was very ornate carrying many carvings that took months to complete. When completed, it was placed on a ship and transported to Canada, where it sailed down the Atlantic coast of Canada and the United States. It also sailed through the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
and then was placed on a semi trailer and taken to Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
for a voyage down the Pacific coast. It was presented by HBC to the citizens of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
and placed on permanent display in 1973 in the Nonsuch Gallery at the Manitoba Museum
Manitoba Museum
The Manitoba Museum, previously the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature is the largest museum in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.The museum is the largest heritage centre in Manitoba and the world and focuses on human and natural heritage. It has planetarium shows and a Science Gallery hall...
in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
(then called the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature). Built specifically for the ship, it is a 90-foot gallery giving the feel of a seventeenth-century scene to visitors and shows the ship at the English port of Deptford
Deptford
Deptford is a district of south London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne, and from the mid 16th century to the late 19th was home to Deptford Dockyard, the first of the Royal Navy Dockyards.Deptford and the docks are...
, just before embarking on her journey to Hudson Bay.
Length o/a: 54'
draught: 6'