Eden Colvile
Encyclopedia
Eden Colvile was born in Langley
, near Beckenham
, Kent
, England, son of Andrew Colvile and Mary Louisa Eden. His father was a merchant and member of the Hudson's Bay Company
's Board of Governors. Colvile was educated at Eton
and Trinity College, Cambridge
. After graduating from Cambridge in 1841, he travelled overseas to Lower Canada
to manage the seigneury of Beauharnois for the North American Colonial Association of Ireland, of which his father was deputy governor. He served one year in the Legislative Assembly for Beauharnois in 1844.
His relationship with the Hudson's Bay Company began in 1848 when he accompanied George Simpson
to Rupert's Land
, travelling as far as the Red River Settlement. After his return to England, he was soon appointed Governor of Rupert's Land
, relieving Simpson of his obligations inland. After seeing the troubles which rocked the Red River Settlement in the late 1840s with the Guilleume Sayer trial, the Foss-Pelly slander trial and the difficulties between the Presbyterian Scots and the Anglicans, the Company needed someone like Colvile who would wield a firm hand in the Settlement. He spent his first winter on the Pacific coast, sorting out the affairs of the troubled Pugets Sound Agricultural Company
.
In August 1850, he arrived in the Red River Settlement with his wife, Anne Maxwell. They took up residence in the "Big House" at Lower Fort Garry
. He quickly took charge of the affairs at the Red River Settlement. He took over as president of the Council of Assiniboia
, removed Adam Thom
from his position of power, and arranged a compromise between the Presbyterians and Anglicans. Solving the difficulties which arose from the Foss-Pelly slander trial took more delicate manoeuvering, but he succeeded by removing the major players in the trial from the Settlement. After accomplishing the tasks he was sent to fix, he and his wife returned to England in 1852.
He took on many of his father's directorships which included the chairmanship of the board of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company
. He joined the London committee of the HBC in 1854. After a reorganization of the HBC in the mid 1860's where he was only one of two to remain, he became deputy governor in 1871, governor in 1880 and retired in 1889. He died in Devon
on Easter Sunday 1893.
Langley
Langley is often used as a metonym in U.S. government and military parlance to refer to the Central Intelligence Agency, whose headquarters is located in Langley, Virginia.Langley may also refer to:-Persons:...
, near Beckenham
Beckenham
Beckenham is a town in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is located 8.4 miles south east of Charing Cross and 1.75 miles west of Bromley town...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England, son of Andrew Colvile and Mary Louisa Eden. His father was a merchant and member of the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
's Board of Governors. Colvile was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. After graduating from Cambridge in 1841, he travelled overseas to Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
to manage the seigneury of Beauharnois for the North American Colonial Association of Ireland, of which his father was deputy governor. He served one year in the Legislative Assembly for Beauharnois in 1844.
His relationship with the Hudson's Bay Company began in 1848 when he accompanied George Simpson
George Simpson (administrator)
Sir George Simpson was a Scots-Quebecer and employee of the Hudson's Bay Company . His title was Governor-in-Chief of Rupert's Land and administrator over the Northwest Territories and Columbia Department in British North America from 1821 to 1860.-Early years:George Simpson was born in Dingwall,...
to Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land, or Prince Rupert's Land, was a territory in British North America, consisting of the Hudson Bay drainage basin that was nominally owned by the Hudson's Bay Company for 200 years from 1670 to 1870, although numerous aboriginal groups lived in the same territory and disputed the...
, travelling as far as the Red River Settlement. After his return to England, he was soon appointed Governor of Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land
Rupert's Land, or Prince Rupert's Land, was a territory in British North America, consisting of the Hudson Bay drainage basin that was nominally owned by the Hudson's Bay Company for 200 years from 1670 to 1870, although numerous aboriginal groups lived in the same territory and disputed the...
, relieving Simpson of his obligations inland. After seeing the troubles which rocked the Red River Settlement in the late 1840s with the Guilleume Sayer trial, the Foss-Pelly slander trial and the difficulties between the Presbyterian Scots and the Anglicans, the Company needed someone like Colvile who would wield a firm hand in the Settlement. He spent his first winter on the Pacific coast, sorting out the affairs of the troubled Pugets Sound Agricultural Company
Pugets Sound Agricultural Company
The Puget Sound Agricultural Company , commonly referred to with variations of the name using Puget Sound or Puget's Sound, was a joint stock company formed around 1840 as a subsidiary of the Hudson's Bay Company . The purpose of the company was ostensibly to promote settlement by British subjects...
.
In August 1850, he arrived in the Red River Settlement with his wife, Anne Maxwell. They took up residence in the "Big House" at Lower Fort Garry
Lower Fort Garry
Lower Fort Garry was built in 1830 by the Hudson's Bay Company on the western bank of the Red River, north of the original Fort Garry, which is now in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Treaty 1 was signed there....
. He quickly took charge of the affairs at the Red River Settlement. He took over as president of the Council of Assiniboia
Council of Assiniboia
The Council of Assiniboia was, from 1821 until 1870, the appointed administrative body of Rupert's Land.-History:This Council was created by the Hudson's Bay Company to govern the territory following its merger with the North West Company, and the death of Lord Selkirk...
, removed Adam Thom
Adam Thom
Adam Thom was a teacher, journalist, lawyer, public servant, and recorder.- Biography :Adam Thom was born in Brechin, in the Tayside region in Scotland. His father was Andrew Thom, a merchant, and his mother Elizabeth Bisset.He entered the King's College in 1819 and obtained a Master of Arts in 1824...
from his position of power, and arranged a compromise between the Presbyterians and Anglicans. Solving the difficulties which arose from the Foss-Pelly slander trial took more delicate manoeuvering, but he succeeded by removing the major players in the trial from the Settlement. After accomplishing the tasks he was sent to fix, he and his wife returned to England in 1852.
He took on many of his father's directorships which included the chairmanship of the board of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company
Royal Mail Steam Packet Company
The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company was a British shipping company founded in London in 1839 by Scot James Macqueen. After good and bad times it became the largest shipping group in the world in 1927 when it took over the White Star Line....
. He joined the London committee of the HBC in 1854. After a reorganization of the HBC in the mid 1860's where he was only one of two to remain, he became deputy governor in 1871, governor in 1880 and retired in 1889. He died in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
on Easter Sunday 1893.