Artefacts and Stories
Artefacts are all about people and their histories. In this section you can learn about some of the many artefacts in Scotland today that are connected to Hudson’s Bay Company men and their families. You can also discover what they mean to some of their descendents and to other family members today.
Women from Norway House were well-known for their fine silk embroidery.
© Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford, 1998.440.50
The stories surrounding these artefacts are often incomplete. Many have become disconnected from their makers who would have had other stories to tell. More than just expressions of creativity, these artefacts have played a part in the economic and social lives of the people who made them. Some of those that are shown on this website are entirely removed from their makers and owners, while others have been used as a starting point to reconnect families who had been long-separated, and for stories to be shared.
William Hart, a Cree from Oxford House, carving a wooden spoon, c. 1940.
©Courtesy of Merle Henderson
The stories about artefacts can change and are never-ending. If you have comments on any of these artefacts or about the people who may have made or used them, please let us know.
At York Factory a women’s sewing group made beadwork articles to sell to visitors to the post.
© Hudson’s Bay Company Archives, Archives of Manitoba, Rev. Faries. 1982/17/1
