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about

There were mixed fortunes for the Orcadians who worked for for The HBC. Some settled and stayed in Canada but others returned to Orkney having completed their contracts. There were three particular men that made special contributions to life in Orkney with their earnings from time in Canada.

Magnus Twatt was born in 1751 and signed up to the Hudson’s Bay Company as a labourer in 1771. He only visited Orkney once again between 1795 and 1797 but during this time he made a will and left money to establish a school in Kirbister, “The Twatt Mortification School” which was built and in use from 1804. He married a Cree woman, known as Margaret, and they had two sons and a daughter.

William Tomison was born on the island of South Ronaldsay in 1739 and signed up to the company, also as a Labourer in 1760. He worked his way through the ranks to become the Chief at York Factory in 1786. In autumn 1795 founded Fort Edmonton which has grown to be a major city. He sent money to support schools and charities in his home parish and bequeathed a large portion of his savings to build a free school, “Tomison’s Academy” (pictured below).

James Tait worked as a Labourer for the company from 1778 and shared Tomison’s aim to encourage education in Orkney. Both left money to employ school masters and Tait financed the building of a second school in Orphir after his death.

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from The Orcadians of Hudson Bay, released May 28, 2021

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Graham Rorie Glasgow, UK

Orcadian fiddle and mandolin player Graham Rorie is an award-winning folk musician based in Glasgow.

As well as being a founding member of folk band Gnoss, Graham has recently collaborated with pianist Rory Matheson for an album titled, We Have Won The Land as well as releasing his own solo record, The Orcadians of Hudson Bay, available here! ... more

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