Henry Kelsey (1667-1724), Hunter & Explorer

Henry Kelsey (1667-1724), Hunter & Explorer

Henry Kelsey aka the Boy Kelsey, was an English fur trader, explorer, and sailor who played an important role in establishing the Hudson's Bay Company. He is the 'Brave Kelso' that Stan Rogers refers to in his song Northwest Passage. Kelsey was born and married in East Greenwich, south-east of central London.

Kelsey started working before he was 20 for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC). He moved to North America, where he worked with western Native peoples.

During the years 1690 to 1691, Kelsey travelled with the Cree Nation and explored what is now northern Manitoba from Hudson Bay to theSaskatchewan River. He is traditionally believed to be the first recorded European man to see what are now the provinces of Alberta andSaskatchewan.

He is the first European known to have seen the prairies, the great buffalo herds, grizzly bears, and the many Great Plains First Nationstribes. After years in Canada, Kelsey returned at age 55 to England in 1722. He died two years later, and was buried in St Alfege's Church, Greenwich. There is a commemorative plaque to his name.


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