The Hudson's Bay Company's steamship Beaver of 1835

Abstract

Audio recording of William Barraclough's 1970 presentation to the Nanaimo Historical Society in which he presents the research he has conducted regarding the Hudson's Bay Company steamship, the Beaver. Mr. Barraclough presents a history of the vessel, including her 1835 construction in Blackwall, London, England; her 1836 arrival to the Pacific; and her 1888 destruction at Prospect Point, outside of Vancouver. The Beaver was the first steamer to ply the Pacific Northwest Coast, and with a service record spanning over 52 years is associated with much of the early history of the region. Mr. Barraclough's talk includes excerpts from the Beaver's logbooks, diary entries from contemporaries, and newspaper articles. The last section of his talk deals specifically with the Beaver's presence in the Nanaimo harbour.