John Guy
Encyclopedia
John Guy was a merchant from Bristol
, England
, and the first Proprietary Governor
of Newfoundland leading the first attempt to establish a colony
on the island. Prior to leaving for Newfoundland, John Guy had been a member of Bristol
's Common Council
and had acted as its sheriff
from 1605 to 1606.
Founder of the first English colony in Canada. Pioneering merchant who became Mayor of Bristol, England. Adversary of the infamous pirate, Peter Easton. John Guy’s list of achievements read like the plot for some grand adventure tale, and an unlikely one at that for a boy born of humble beginnings in his beloved Bristol in 1567. The son of a tradesman, Guy played a prominent role in the London and Bristol Company, as well as Bristol’s Society of Merchant Venturers. It was through his ties with the latter that Guy helped lobby for approval from King James I to establish a colony in Newfoundland, the first of its kind in the vast, sprawling wilderness of what is today Canada.
In 1607 Bristol's Society of Merchant Venturers
decided to seek the approval of King James I to establish a colony in Newfoundland. Guy visited the island in 1608 to scout possible locations for a settlement, selecting Cuper's Cove
(present day Cupids
) as the site of the colony. In the spring of 1610 the privy council
accepted a petition by a consortium of London and Bristol merchants and issued a charter
to establish the Newfoundland colony.
Guy was appointed governor in 1610 by the London and Bristol Company
and arrived at Cupers Cove in August of that year with colonists, grain and livestock. Thirty-nine colonists spent the winter of 1610–1611 in the colony. During his governorship the colonists built and fortified the settlement, explored the area and planted crops. Guy returned to England in 1611 (leaving his brother-in-law in charge) and returned the next year with more livestock and female settlers.
In 1612 the actions of the pirate Peter Easton
convinced Guy to abandon a second colony established at Renews in the spring of that year and strengthen the fortifications at Cupers Cove. In the fall of 1612 Guy led a voyage into Trinity Bay
in an attempt to contact and establish a fur trade with the Beothuk
s, the native inhabitants of the island. On November 6 Guy's party met, shared a meal and exchanged gifts with a group of Beothuk somewhere in Bull Arm, Trinity Bay.
Guy returned to England in April 1613 and, as far as we know, he never returned to Newfoundland. However, it was largely as a result of his able leadership that the colony was so successful in the first three years of its existence. Guy became disillusioned due to the lack of support from the London merchants and remained in Bristol though he later received a grant of land in Newfoundland which he named Sea Forest. John Mason was appointed the second governor of the Cuper's Cove colony in 1615. In 1618 Guy became mayor of Bristol and later sat as a Member of Parliament
for the city from 1620 to 1622 and again in 1624. While in parliament Guy defended the rights of the colonists in Newfoundland.
Archaeological excavations indicate that Cupers Cove continued to be occupied throughout the 17th century. Today the town of Cupids has a population of about 800.
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and the first Proprietary Governor
Proprietary Governor
Proprietary Governors were individuals authorized to govern proprietary colonies. Under the proprietary system, individuals or companies were granted commercial charters by the King of England to establish colonies. These proprietors then selected the governors and other officials in the colony....
of Newfoundland leading the first attempt to establish a colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
on the island. Prior to leaving for Newfoundland, John Guy had been a member of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
's Common Council
Common Council
Common Council may refer to:* The Court of Common Council, an elected body of the City of London Corporation* Buffalo Common Council, the legislative branch of the Buffalo, NY City Government...
and had acted as its sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
from 1605 to 1606.
Founder of the first English colony in Canada. Pioneering merchant who became Mayor of Bristol, England. Adversary of the infamous pirate, Peter Easton. John Guy’s list of achievements read like the plot for some grand adventure tale, and an unlikely one at that for a boy born of humble beginnings in his beloved Bristol in 1567. The son of a tradesman, Guy played a prominent role in the London and Bristol Company, as well as Bristol’s Society of Merchant Venturers. It was through his ties with the latter that Guy helped lobby for approval from King James I to establish a colony in Newfoundland, the first of its kind in the vast, sprawling wilderness of what is today Canada.
In 1607 Bristol's Society of Merchant Venturers
Society of Merchant Venturers
The Society of Merchant Venturers is a private entrepreneurial and charitable organisation in the English city of Bristol, which dates back to the 13th century...
decided to seek the approval of King James I to establish a colony in Newfoundland. Guy visited the island in 1608 to scout possible locations for a settlement, selecting Cuper's Cove
Cuper's Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador
Cuper's Cove, on the southwest shore of Conception Bay on Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula was an early English settlement in the New World, and the second one after the Jamestown Settlement to endure for longer than a year...
(present day Cupids
Cupids, Newfoundland and Labrador
Cupids is a town of 790 on Conception Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. It has also been known as Coopers, Copers Cove, Cupers Cove, and Cuperts. It is the oldest continuously settled official British colony in Canada and possibly the oldest in North America...
) as the site of the colony. In the spring of 1610 the privy council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
accepted a petition by a consortium of London and Bristol merchants and issued a charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
to establish the Newfoundland colony.
Guy was appointed governor in 1610 by the London and Bristol Company
London and Bristol Company
The London and Bristol Company came about in the early 17th century when English merchants had begun to express an interest in the Newfoundland fishery. Financed by a syndicate of investors John Guy, himself a Bristol merchant, visited Newfoundland in 1608 to locate a favourable site for a colony...
and arrived at Cupers Cove in August of that year with colonists, grain and livestock. Thirty-nine colonists spent the winter of 1610–1611 in the colony. During his governorship the colonists built and fortified the settlement, explored the area and planted crops. Guy returned to England in 1611 (leaving his brother-in-law in charge) and returned the next year with more livestock and female settlers.
In 1612 the actions of the pirate Peter Easton
Peter Easton
Peter Easton was a pirate in the early 17th century who operated along the Newfoundland coastline between Harbour Grace and Ferryland from 1611 to 1614...
convinced Guy to abandon a second colony established at Renews in the spring of that year and strengthen the fortifications at Cupers Cove. In the fall of 1612 Guy led a voyage into Trinity Bay
Trinity Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador
Trinity Bay is a large bay on the northeastern coast of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.Major fishing communities include Trinity and Heart's Content.-Industry:...
in an attempt to contact and establish a fur trade with the Beothuk
Beothuk
The Beothuk were one of the aboriginal peoples in Canada. They lived on the island of Newfoundland at the time of European contact in the 15th and 16th centuries...
s, the native inhabitants of the island. On November 6 Guy's party met, shared a meal and exchanged gifts with a group of Beothuk somewhere in Bull Arm, Trinity Bay.
Guy returned to England in April 1613 and, as far as we know, he never returned to Newfoundland. However, it was largely as a result of his able leadership that the colony was so successful in the first three years of its existence. Guy became disillusioned due to the lack of support from the London merchants and remained in Bristol though he later received a grant of land in Newfoundland which he named Sea Forest. John Mason was appointed the second governor of the Cuper's Cove colony in 1615. In 1618 Guy became mayor of Bristol and later sat as a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the city from 1620 to 1622 and again in 1624. While in parliament Guy defended the rights of the colonists in Newfoundland.
Archaeological excavations indicate that Cupers Cove continued to be occupied throughout the 17th century. Today the town of Cupids has a population of about 800.