In 1668, a small ship sailed from London to Hudson’s Bay to explore the feasibility of a trans-Atlantic trade system. A year later, the ship returned to Europe; the mission would become the forerunner to the Hudson Bay Company’s establishment, which would shape Manitoba’s history.
The ship is generally believed to have been named in honour of Barbara Villiers, one of King Charles II’s favourite mistresses. He gave her the Nonsuch Palace (in England) and the accompanying title Baroness Nonsuch. The palace’s name derives from the idea ‘there is no such palace elsewhere equal to it in magnificence’ or simply ‘none such equal’. We’re proud to share our name with a part of history.
When she crossed the Atlantic, the Nonsuch hosted a crew of 13. This included American Captain Zachariah Gillam, French Adventurer Médard Chouart des Groseilliers (who conceived the entire mission), two mates, a French surgeon, and a crew of eight other men. As a micro-brewery with a small crew, we love seeing small teams do big things.
The ketch was a mere 53 feet in length. Because the Nonsuch was so small, she was likely intended for the coastal trade or short trips to the continent of Europe. However, her small size made her the perfect fit for an Arctic voyage; only a small ship could be hauled from the water in the fall for protection from the crushing winter ice.
In just 44 days, the Nonsuch would cross the Atlantic, stopping at the Faroe Islands (modern day Denmark), Resolution Island (modern day Nunavut) and other islands, before arriving in Rupert River (modern day Québec). where it would remain for the winter. The crew hauled the ship from the water and built a wooden cabin in which they spent the winter living. By April 1669, the cold weather was nearly over and the crew began to receive visits from the Cree people who traded furs for goods and wampum. June brought warm weather and calm seas. The crew sailed out of the bay and returned home within fifteen months of adventuring across the Atlantic and Hudson Bay.
For luxuries, the Nonsuch carried raisins and prunes, sugar and spice, malt, oil, vinegar, lemon juice, a large quantity of “small beer” (low alcohol) for the crew, and a quantity of brandy.
Upon return, the Nonsuch’s cargo was promptly sold for nearly £1,400 (approximately 100,000 CAD today.) This was not considered a large sum. In fact it was not even enough to pay for the costs of the voyage and all that led up to it but the theory of Radisson and Groseilliers had been proven. Direct access by sea to the furs of the northern forest was a practical proposition.
The Nonsuch was built as a merchant vessel at Wivenhoe, Essex, England
The ship was purchased by the Royal English Navy.
Only four years into her service, the Nonsuch was captued by enemy Dutch forces.
Two years after her capture, we should return to the English and was listed as a naval ship again.
While the Nonsuch served the British Navy, two French adventures across the ocean were attempting to sail into the Hudson Bay and validate their theory of a trade route. Pierre-Esprit Radisson and Médard Chouart, Sieur Des Groseilliers hired American Captain Zachariah Gillam who would take them and their vessel (not the Nonsuch) as far as the Hudson straight where ice build-up prevented their vessel from proceeding; they aborted.
Des Groseilliers and Radisson were fortunate in catching the attention of the British commissioner Col. George Cartwright in Boston (home to Zachariah Gillam), who convinced them to go to England and present information on the possibilities of their project to the group of courtiers, gentlemen, financiers, and some members of the infant Royal Society who were interested in exploring and establishing such a trading route.
An informal syndicate of businessmen and courtiers committed to exploring the feasibility of a northern fur trade route into Hudson Bay came together in London. Their intent was to underwrite a speculative voyage to North America and prove the economic viability of the idea proposed by French explorers. The project was approved!
In addition to the capital required for such a venture, the group needed reliable transport (you can guess where this is headed.)
The Nonsuch was sold out of the Navy to a merchant, Sit William Warren.
The group who financed the expedition believe the Nonsuch would be perfect for their voyage and paid Mr. Warren Warren £290 (and estimated 15,000$ in modern Canadian dollars).
The Nonsuch and a sister ship The Eaglet made their way down the Thames from Gravesend on route to Hudson Bay.
1,200 nautical miles west of Ireland, the two ships encountered severe storms and heavy seas. The Eaglet was forced to turn back and arrived back in Plymouth “with some losses” by August; The Nonsuch carried on alone.
The Nonsuch sailed by the northern route and succesfully crossed the Atlantic after 44 days. The ship sailed from the Faroe Islands (modern day Denmark) to Labrador where landfall was made.
The crew stopped at various islands including Resolution Island, Sleeper Islands, and Belcher Islands – all of which are modern Day Nunavut.
The sturdy little vessel anchored in James Bay (modern day Québec) off the mouth of the Rupert River, the very same place where Henry Hudson had wintered more than half a century earlier. The crew pulled the ship from the water (to prevent the ice from destorying it) and built a home which would become Charles Fort, the forerunner of Rupert House. This area is now know as Waskaganish(Cree for Little House) and it's where they spent the winter of 1668.
After a long winter, almost 300 peaceful Cree arrived at their home. They traded prime beaver pelts for raisins, prunes, sugar, spice, malt, oil, vinegar, and lemon juice.
June brought warm weather and calm seas. The crew sailed out of the bay and returned home within fifteen months of adventuring across the Atlantic and Hudson Bay. They returned to London in October.
The Nonsuch and her crew returned home to London within fifteen months of adventuring across the Atlantic and Hudson Bay. Upon return, the Nonsuch’s cargo was promptly sold for nearly £1,400 (approximately 100,000 CAD today.) This was not considered a large sum. In fact it was not even enough to pay for the costs of the voyage and all that led up to it but the theory of Radisson and Groseilliers had been proven. Direct access by sea to the furs of the northern forest was a practical proposition.