Context

The Fort Victoria Post Journal was kept by Roderick Finlayson, the officer in charge of Fort Victoria, as an official daily record of trade, work, weather, illnesses and other occurrences of note at the fort. The primary purpose seems to have been to allow the hierarchy of the HBC to have an understanding of the operations of each post, and to some degree the efficiency of the post manager. We know that it was written by Roderick Finlayson because he writes about himself in the first person and when he leaves the fort for short periods the handwriting in the journal changes. The Fort Victoria journal only survives for these four years. The original is located at the Hudson’s Bay Archives, now a part of the Provincial Archives of Manitoba and is transcribed here with permission. Reference Number B.226/a/1.

Historians on the Founding of Fort Victoria

"The Founding of Fort Victoria," (no author given) Beaver, Outfit 273, March 1943, 3-9.

W.K. Lamb, "The Founding of Fort Victoria, BC Historical Quarterly, Vol 7 (1943), 71-92.

Contemporary Accounts of the Fort from Other Visitors

Paul Kane,excerpt from his book relating to his 1847 stay at Fort Victoria from Wanderings of An Artist Among the Indians of North America from Canada to Vancouver’s Island and Oregon Through the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Territories and Back Again, (London: Longman, Brown, Green, Longmans and Roberts, 1859).

Bedford Pim, excerpt from his book relating to his 1848 stay at Fort Victoria from his book, Midshipman’s Diary: A Few Notes Extracted from the Cockpit Journal of a Man- Of-War: London: J.D. Potter, 1862).

Berthold Seeman, excerpt from his book relating to his 1848 stay at Fort Victoria from his book, Narrative of the Voyage of H.M.S. Herald During the Years 1845-51, Under the Command of Captain Henry Kellett, R.N., C.B. (London: Reeve and Co.: 1853).

Interpretive Essays

“Forts and Their Farms: An Outline of the Agricultural Foundations of Hudson’s Bay Company Establishments in the Pacific Northwest” by Ben Clinton-Baker.

“Roderick Finlayson: The Man Behind the Fort Victoria Journal 1846-1850,” by Miranda Harvey.

“Measles and Malingerers: Illness, Disease, and other Afflictions in the Fort Victoria Journal 1846 – 1850,” Caitlin Ottenbreit.

“Daily Life at Fort Victoria, 1846 to 1850” by Anna Stooke.

“The Earliest Written Record Of The Fort Victoria Treaties” by Neil Vallance.