Roderick Finlayson

"Mr Roderick Finlayson joined the Hudson's Bay Company in 1837, six years after my father and like him served at Lachine for some time before proceeding West. In 1839 he crossed the Rocky Mountains to Fort Vancouver. He never afterwards was engaged in any very arduous duties being kept on the coast and employed at the various posts in the North and at Victoria, in the establishment of which he took a prominent part in 1843. He died in Victoria in 1892 at the age of 77."

"Roderick Finlayson when I first saw him was a young man of 35 years, second in command at Victoria in 1850. With his young wife and only daughter he lived in the house in the Northwest corner of the Fort. There I met Mrs Finlayson, who in her inherent goodness of heart was always ready to win the hearts of the boys by ministering to their appetites with such luxuries as were not to be had at the school. Mr Finlayson, a young man of undeniable sterling character, was never accounted a man of outstanding brilliancy...He was most zealous in his devotion to the interests of the Company, giving all his time and energies to its welfare."

"Finlayson looked rather pallid, but was quiet and very agreeable rubbing his hands slowly together."

"In the spring of 1845, a party of natives came from Bellingham Bay to trade with us, and traded a large quantity of furs, for which we gave them the goods they wanted in exchange. On leaving the fort in their canoes, they were waylaid about Clover Point, by a party of Songhees and robbed of their goods, after which they came back to the fort and complained of their treatment and asked to be allowed to pass the night within the fort as they were afraid for their lives. This was a clear case in which I was bound to interfere to protect friendly Indians coming to trade with us. I sent the interpreter to get them to restore the goods they took from these friendly Indians, as otherwise I would have to take action on their behalf, as they came to trade with us. After considering the matter for a time these robbers came to the fort and delivered up the goods; the Bellingham Bay Indians then left with their property, contented, and to prevent further trouble, set a party of our men, armed, to Trial Island, to see them safely homewards. Thus these wild savages were taught to respect British justice."

"At this time there were no streets, the traffic cut up the thoroughfares so that everyone had to wear sea boots to wade through the mud & mire. It was my duty to receive the clergyman, which I did, but felt ashamed to see the lady come ashore. We had to lay planks through the mud in order to get them safely to the fort. They looked around wonderingly at the bare walls of the buildings & expressed deep surprise, stating that the Co. in England had told them this & such & such."

Notes

Roderick Finlayson worked under Charles Ross in the building of Fort Victoria in 1843 to 1844. Upon Ross's death, which he mentions with sympathy in his autobiography, Finlayson became Chief Factor. After James Douglas arrived in 1849 Finlayson was re-assigned to second in command. Also in 1849 he married Sarah Work, John Work's daughter. Finlayson was one of the few to see Victoria grow from bare ground to the Capital of British Columbia.