Peter Fidler (explorer)

Infobox Person
name = Peter Fidler


image_size = 200
caption =
birth_date = birth date|1769|8|16|mf=y
birth_place = Bolsover, Derbyshire, England
death_date = death date and age|1822|12|17|1769|8|16|mf=y
death_place = Fort Dauphin, Manitoba
occupation = Explorer and Map Maker
spouse = Mary Fidler
parents = James and Mary Fidler
children = Thomas (1795), Charles (1798), George (1800), Sally (1802), Decusroggan (1824 - died at 24 days), Andrew (1806), Alban (1809), Mary (1811), Faith (1813 - died at 6 weeks), Clement (1814), Colette (1817), Margaret (1819 - died at 1 month), Peter (1820), Harriett (1822)

Peter Fidler (16 August 1769 - 17 December 1822) was a British surveyor, map-maker, chief fur trader and explorer who had a long career in the employ of the Hudson's Bay Company in what later became Canada. He was born in Bolsover, Derbyshire, England and died at Fort Dauphin in present day Manitoba. He married Mary Mackagonne, a Cree, and together they had 14 children.

Career

Fidler joined the Hudson's Bay Company as a labourer at London and took up his post at York Factory in 1788.Citation | last = MacGregor | first = James G. | title = Peter Fidler, Canada's Forgotten Explorer 1769-1822 | publisher = Fifth House | location=Calgary | year = 1998 | edition = 3rd | isbn = 1-894004-19-1] He was promoted to clerk and posted to Manchester House and South Branch House in what later became Saskatchewan within his first year. In 1790, he was transferred to Cumberland House and given training in surveying and astronomy by Philip Turnor who also trained David Thompson. On 23 December 1788, Thompson had seriously fractured his leg, forcing him to spend the next two winters at Cumberland House convalescing which gave Fidler the opportunity to accompany Turnor on an exploration expedition to the west from 1790 to 1792 attempting to find a route to Lake Athabaska and Great Slave Lake and therefore a route to the Pacific Ocean. Although the river route to the west his employer sought was found not to exist, on this and following expeditions Fidler gathered data for the first of several maps that he produced. Information he gathered was incorporated into the maps of North America produced by Aaron Arrowsmith.Citation | last = Wishart | first = David J. | title = Encyclopedia of the Great Plains | publisher = U of Nebraska Press | location=Lincoln, Nebraska | year = 2004 | edition = 3rd | isbn = 0803247877] rp|229

During his years with the company, Fidler established Carlton House in 1795 (near present day Kamsack, Saskatchewan) and Chesterfield House in 1800. He was in charge of Cumberland House from 1796. In 1797, he established Bolsover House (near Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan) and Greenwich House at Lac la Biche. In 1806, after two years of harassment by Samuel Black of the rival North West Company, Fidler surrendered Nottingham House on Lake Athabasca and fled the post with his men.

Recognition

Fidler Point on Lake Athabasca is named for Fidler. [Citation | last = Alberta Land Surveyors' Association | title = Alberta's Land Surveying History | url = http://www.landsurveyinghistory.ab.ca/PlaceNames/Faria_Creek-Friock_Creek.htm#Fidler_Point | accessdate = 2008-05-19] There is a large carved monument to Fidler at Elk Point, Alberta and a monument to his legacy at Fort Dauphin created by the Manitoba Land Surveyors. [Citation | last = Association of Manitoba Land Surveyors | title = Peter Fidler Commemorative Monument | url = http://www.amls.ca/Fidler-Monument.htm | accessdate = 2008-05-19]

ources

* [http://www.abheritage.ca/alberta/fur_trade/bio_peter_fidler.html The Alberta Online Encyclopedia: Peter Fidler]
* [http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/people/fidler_p.shtml Manitoba Historical Society, Peter Fidler (1769-1822)]
* [http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/pageant/08/fidler_p.shtml Manitoba Historical Society, Peter Fidler (1769-1822)]
* [http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/mb_history/16/sackingbrandonhouse.shtml Manitoba Historical Society, The Sacking of Peter Fidler’s Brandon House, 1816]
* [http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=2867 Biography at the "Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online"]
* [http://www.gov.mb.ca/chc/archives/hbca/biographical/f/fidler_peter.pdf Hudson's Bay Company, Record of Employment, Peter Fidler]
* [http://www.peakfinder.com/people.asp?PersonsName=Fidler%2C+Peter Peak Finder: Peter Fidler]
* [http://www.greatcanadianrivers.com/rivers/north_saskatchwan/history-home.html The Great Canadian Rivers]
* [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0002788 The Canadian Encyclopedia: Peter Fidler]
* [http://www.northwestjournal.ca/sample.html The Well-Dressed Explorer, By J. Gottfred.]
* [http://books.google.ca/books?id=rtRFyFO4hpEC&pg=PA230&lpg=PA230&dq=Peter+Fidler&source=web&ots=IhxSAixF-t&sig=4xeHFR4DbXsiYfq3jWSG80vi_lY&hl=en#PPA229,M1 Encyclopedia of the Great Plains]

References

External links

* [http://journals.sfu.ca/archivar/index.php/archivaria/article/viewFile/11246/12185 Maps of Peter Fidler at SFU]
* [http://www.peterfidler.com/index.php Peter Fidler and his Metis Descendants (PeterFidler.com)]
* [http://www.filmwest.com/Catalogue/itemdetail/2890/ Uncharted Surveyor: The Peter Fidler Story. An educational film.]
* [http://www.ourheritage.net/index_page_stuff/Following_Trails/Fidler/Fidler_intro.html Peter Fidler - The Forgotten Geographer]
* [http://www.ourheritage.net/index_page_stuff/Following_Trails/Fidler/Mary_Bolsover.html Peter Fidler's Birthplace]
* [http://www.siamandas.com/time_machine/PAGES/early_manitoba/FIDLERPETER-R.htm Peter Fidler, Manitoba's Master Surveyor by George Siamandas]
* [http://www.landsurveyinghistory.ab.ca/Characters/Fidler_P.htm Alberta's Land Surveying History: Peter Fidler]
* [http://www.mts.net/~agrifame/fidler.html Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame: Peter Fidler]