Auctions

On many occasions, the streets of Louisbourg were enlivened by the sights and sounds of the public auction. Drawn by the drum rolls and the loud announcements, crowds would gather at the auction site to partake in the competitive bidding. These outdoor events were legal procedures, economic transactions and at the same time, simple community gatherings.

The public auctions of Louisbourg had their origins in the French legal system and had begun as a method for creditors to get payment from those in their debt. The procedure would begin with the creditor obtaining a conviction of non-payment against the debtor in his local court. Once he gained a conviction he could then approach the huissier of the court - equivalent in power to a bailiff or sheriff - and ask him to secure payment from the debtor. If the debtor refused, or could not meet his financial obligations, the huissier could then seize his goods and real estate and proceed with an auction which would earn the amount of the debt.

Eventually there arose within the general public a demand to avail themselves of this service to dispose of personal property and soon anyone who could pay the court costs could get the officials to manage an auction on their behalf. In Louisbourg, these voluntary sales were far more common than those that resulted from conviction and seizure. The residents had a variety of reasons for requesting judicial auctions. One of the more common reasons for an auction occurred with the death of a resident and the need to distribute the estate among their heirs. Also, the goods left by a transient worker who had died in the colony were often disposed of by auction.

Regardless of the reasons for an auction, the enthusiasm of the crowd, the drumming, and the cries of the huissier served to create one of the few regular functions that could bring together the community of Louisbourg with little regard for political or social standing.