Yorkshire Emigration to Nova Scotia
Encyclopedia
Migration from Yorkshire to Nova Scotia occurred between 1772 and 1775 and involved an approximate one thousand migrants from mainly Yorkshire
, England
arriving in Nova Scotia
to settle the colony some years following the expulsion of its Acadian
population.
The immigration was the initiative of the Lieutenant Governor
of the colony, Michael Francklin
. The first settlers arrived in 1772 aboard the ship Duke of York. Between 1773 to 1775 several additional ships arrived, peaking in 1774 with the arrival of 9 vessels.
The immigrants were mostly tenant farmers in Yorkshire, although a few also came from Northumberland
. They left for Nova Scotia "in order to seek a better livelihood". Rather than receiving land grants from the government, as had the previous immigrants, the New England Planters
, the new arrivals came with money and purchased their lands from the government or from Planters who were at the time beginning to leave.
Many of the Yorkshire pioneers were Wesleyan Methodist
s and were responsible for establishing the earliest Methodist chapel
s in Canada (1790).
It has been argued that these pioneers were instrumental in preventing victory by American sympathisers during the Eddy Rebellion of 1776. Named for Jonathan Eddy, the Rebellion was an attempt to wrestle Nova Scotia from the British in order for it join the thirteen colonies in the newly created United States. Aiding British troops from Halifax, the Yorkshire pioneers helped subdue the rebels, including some New England Planters that supported the American Revolution, in a three-week siege of Fort Cumberland
.
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, 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...
arriving in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
to settle the colony some years following the expulsion of its Acadian
Acadian
The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France...
population.
The immigration was the initiative of the Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant governor
A lieutenant governor or lieutenant-governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction, but is often the deputy or lieutenant to or ranking under a governor — a "second-in-command"...
of the colony, Michael Francklin
Michael Francklin
Michael Francklin or Franklin served as Nova Scotia's Lieutenant Governor from 1766-1772.Born in Poole, England, Francklin immigrated to Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1752. He worked as a trader and merchant, initially in association with Joshua Maugher...
. The first settlers arrived in 1772 aboard the ship Duke of York. Between 1773 to 1775 several additional ships arrived, peaking in 1774 with the arrival of 9 vessels.
The immigrants were mostly tenant farmers in Yorkshire, although a few also came from Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
. They left for Nova Scotia "in order to seek a better livelihood". Rather than receiving land grants from the government, as had the previous immigrants, the New England Planters
New England Planters
The New England Planters were settlers from the New England colonies who responded to invitations by the lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia, Charles Lawrence, to settle lands left vacant by the Bay of Fundy Campaign of the Acadian Expulsion...
, the new arrivals came with money and purchased their lands from the government or from Planters who were at the time beginning to leave.
Many of the Yorkshire pioneers were Wesleyan Methodist
Methodist Church of Great Britain
The Methodist Church of Great Britain is the largest Wesleyan Methodist body in the United Kingdom, with congregations across Great Britain . It is the United Kingdom's fourth largest Christian denomination, with around 300,000 members and 6,000 churches...
s and were responsible for establishing the earliest Methodist chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
s in Canada (1790).
It has been argued that these pioneers were instrumental in preventing victory by American sympathisers during the Eddy Rebellion of 1776. Named for Jonathan Eddy, the Rebellion was an attempt to wrestle Nova Scotia from the British in order for it join the thirteen colonies in the newly created United States. Aiding British troops from Halifax, the Yorkshire pioneers helped subdue the rebels, including some New England Planters that supported the American Revolution, in a three-week siege of Fort Cumberland
Fort Beauséjour
Fort Beauséjour, was built during Father Le Loutre's War from 1751-1755; it is located at the Isthmus of Chignecto in present-day Aulac, New Brunswick, Canada...
.
Sources
Further reading
- Peter Penner, The Chignecto Connexion: The History of Sackville Methodist/United Church, 1772-1990, 1990.
- Howard Trueman, The Chignecto Isthmus and its First Settlers (1903) (Available online)
- Ernest Clarke, The Siege of Fort Cumberland, 1776, 1995. Montreal: McGill-Queen's Press.
- George A. Rawlyk, Nova Scotia's Massachusetts: A Study of Massachusetts-Nova Scotia Relations 1630-1784, 1973, Montreal: McGill-Queen's Press.