Kelsey Papers / La collection Kelsey

Doughty, Arthur G., and Chester Martin, "Introduction", The Kelsey Papers / La collection Kelsey, Ottawa and Ireland: Public Archives of Canada, and Public Archives of Northern Ireland, Printer--Ottawa: F.A. Acland, 1929, pp. ix-xxxix, and xlvii-lxxxi.

The Kelsey Papers / La collection Kelsey with the "Introduction" by Arthur G. Doughty and Chester Martin was originally published in 1929. The publication was reprinted with an additional Introduction by John Warkentin (York University) in 1994 by the Canadian Plains Research Centre, the University of Regina.

The publication The Kelsey Papers is based on the original manuscript of Henry Kelsey which chronicles Kelsey’s activities from 1683, before he entered the service of the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1684 as an apprentice, to the year 1722, four years after he became Governor of Fort York.  In the “Introduction”, Doughty and Martin noted, “The chief revelations in The Kelsey Papers must be sought in detail in the papers themselves” (p. xviii).  Of interest are Kelsey’s descriptions of: his memorable travels including the journeys of 1690-1692 which included the first voyages of a white man into the Canadian prairies; and the surrender of York Fort in 1694, as well as, the second surrender in 1697. The publication is written primarily in English, but has a title page, contents, introduction, and note regarding the text reproduced from the original manuscript in both English and French. The text follows a journal format containing the date and content for that particular date; some entries are written only in English, while others are written only in French.

Wilson Collection includes 2 copies of the 1929 publication of The Kelsey Papers / La collection Kelsey, one with the original paper cover (copy 1), and the other with black leather bound over the original paper cover (copy 2); and one copy of the 1994 publication of The Kelsey Papers / La collection Kelsey. All three of these copies were reviewed; select images are pictured above. Also reviewed was a 1929 copy of The Kelsey Papers with the original paper cover, held by Queen's University (OCLC #3368390). Digital copy of the 1929 publication is available through Hathi trust.