Anthony Henday

Anthony Henday was a British explorer and Hudson’s Bay Company labourer active in the mid-18th century.

Anthony Henday was a British explorer and Hudson’s Bay Company labourer active in the mid-18th century. He is known for travelling farther into the interior of western Canada than any European before him.

Who was Anthony Henday?

Born around 1725 on the Isle of Wight, England, Henday worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company as a labourer and net-maker. He became one of the first Europeans to venture deep into the Canadian interior, a region largely unknown to Europeans at the time.

What did he explore?

Henday’s most famous journey began in June 1754 from York Fort on Hudson Bay. He travelled inland through present-day Manitoba and Saskatchewan into Alberta, reaching the Red Deer area and possibly sighting the Rocky Mountains. His route brought him into contact with Blackfoot peoples, and he kept a detailed journal of the trip.

Why is he remembered?

Henday’s journal is a vital early European record of the western prairies and Indigenous life. Though he did not establish permanent trade, his travels helped map the interior. Today, Edmonton’s Anthony Henday Drive and other honours keep his name alive in Alberta.