William Moor
Encyclopedia
William Moor was an English sailor and explorer associated with the Hudson’s Bay Company and the annual supply ships to the bay area.
, with voyages to the bay from about 1730 to 1741 and carried out increasingly important duties during that period. In 1741 he and Middleton left the HBC's employ and Moor was given command of the Discovery to aid his cousin in the Furnace in a search for the northwest passage
. They overwintered at Prince of Wales Fort
where sickness plagued the crews. Their survey of the shoreline and tides of the west side of Hudson Bay
was not particularly successful.
Moor and Middleton and the 1741-1742 expedition were under the scrutiny of Arthur Dobbs
, an opponent of the HBC monopoly of the bay area. Middleton was accused of protecting the HBC monopoly and Moor took the side of Dobbs. In 1746, Moor was in command of a private discovery expedition to Hudson Bay funded by Dobbs and others. After a short and unsuccessful period of exploration by the two ships, they decided to overwinter at the HBC post at York Factory. (Man.)
The next summer some good exploration was carried out on the western shore and discovered Chesterfield Inlet but did not explore it. At a point, after further exploration , illness and threats of mutiny turned the expedition for home.
Moor’s competence as a commander was called into question on his return. There is little doubt that his weakness and uncertainty affected the expedition but the unhappiness of the investors was also because he refused to engage in illegal trade on their behalf.
Moor appears to have retired around this time. His explorations did add significantly to the knowledge of the area despite his problems with the command of the expedition.
Life
Moor was involved, under the supervision of his cousin, Christopher MiddletonChristopher Middleton (navigator)
Christopher Middleton was an English naval officer and navigator. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society on 7 April 1737....
, with voyages to the bay from about 1730 to 1741 and carried out increasingly important duties during that period. In 1741 he and Middleton left the HBC's employ and Moor was given command of the Discovery to aid his cousin in the Furnace in a search for the northwest passage
Northwest Passage
The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
. They overwintered at Prince of Wales Fort
Prince of Wales Fort
The Prince of Wales Fort is a historic fort on Hudson Bay across the Churchill River from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada.-History:The European history of this area starts with the discovery of Hudson Bay in 1610. The area was recognized as important in the fur trade and of potential importance for...
where sickness plagued the crews. Their survey of the shoreline and tides of the west side of 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,...
was not particularly successful.
Moor and Middleton and the 1741-1742 expedition were under the scrutiny of Arthur Dobbs
Arthur Dobbs
Arthur Dobbs was a wealthy landowner in North Carolina and served as colonial governor from 1754 to 1765.-Early life and career:...
, an opponent of the HBC monopoly of the bay area. Middleton was accused of protecting the HBC monopoly and Moor took the side of Dobbs. In 1746, Moor was in command of a private discovery expedition to Hudson Bay funded by Dobbs and others. After a short and unsuccessful period of exploration by the two ships, they decided to overwinter at the HBC post at York Factory. (Man.)
The next summer some good exploration was carried out on the western shore and discovered Chesterfield Inlet but did not explore it. At a point, after further exploration , illness and threats of mutiny turned the expedition for home.
Moor’s competence as a commander was called into question on his return. There is little doubt that his weakness and uncertainty affected the expedition but the unhappiness of the investors was also because he refused to engage in illegal trade on their behalf.
Moor appears to have retired around this time. His explorations did add significantly to the knowledge of the area despite his problems with the command of the expedition.