Voorhis Interactive: Posts of the Trade

Gloucester House   HBC GMaps
ID: 230  Voorhis Number: 193 ;   Location: Ontario, Canada [51.39, -87.07] ;    Founded: 1777 , Closed: NA .

Hudson's Bay Co. post constructed on Upasheway lake (Washisagaigan lake), tributary of the Albany river, between Osnaburgh House and Martin Falls House. About 35 miles upstream from Martin Falls. In 1774 the Master of Henley House was instructed to choose a suitable place farther inland and in season 1777 to 1778 Gloucester House was constructed. This was the first of the Company posts built inland after Henley House (1741). In 1774 the "pedlars" had built a post about 70 miles(?) from Henley House and to compete with this, Gloucester House was built. The pedlar's house may have been the old North West Co. house on lake Eabamet at the outlet. This, however, was about 175 miles upstream from Henley House, not 70 miles. (See Maps No. 79 and 54). Gloucester House was in operation in 1798 and in 1814, as shown on lists of those dates, but was probably discontinued before 1821 as it is not included in List at date of Union. It was probably soon re-opened as it appears on the Hudson's Bay Co. map of 1857 by Arrowsmith, but not on later lists. On T. Kitchin map 1794 Gloucester House is shown on a large lake called St. Ann's lake near source of Albany river. Washisagaigan lake (abbreviated to Washi lake on maps 79 and 54) means "Lake of the Narrows", or "Turning-off-place", there being a double route going west to Makokebatan lake. It was formerly called Gloucester lake from the Hudson's Bay Co. post, situated at the narrows. Gloucester House is shown on map No. 2 (from Harmon's Journal), on Map No. 4 Arrowsmith 1801, and on Map No. 8 Arrowsmith 1857.



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