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Charles Bayley
(c.1630-?):
Released from Jail
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Charles Bayley
was the first overseas governor of Hudson's Bay Company.
He set sail for Hudson Bay in 1670 on the ship Wivenhoe along
with Pierre Esprit Radisson to establish
the company's first trading post- Fort York. He had been released
from his prison cell in the Tower of London for this job. The reason
for his imprisonment had been a series of acts, such as letters
to the king telling him not to have too many parties. He also tried,
without success, to convert the Pope to being a Protestant. He did
such things because he was a Quaker.
Once at Hudson
Bay, he did his new job very well. When he arrived at Hudson
Bay, his first act was to take possession of the land on behalf
of the King. Then he made sure that the treaties that Des
Groseilliers had negotiated with the First
Nations were still in place.
Bayley worked
as governor for 9 years. He was known as a fair trader and he
is credited with using good judgment. Just 12 years after the
formation of Hudson's Bay Company, the company was doing well.
In fact, the profit
was two times of the money that had been invested in the company.
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What
do you think Bayley's most important accomplishment was?
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