History Hector (ship)

hector @ heritage quay, 2012



hector pioneer monument, pictou, nova scotia internationally renowned nova scotian sculptor john wilson.

a full rigged fluyt, hector (built in netherlands before 1750) employed in local trade in waters off british isles immigrant trade north america, having made @ least 1 trip c. 1770 carrying scottish emigrants boston, massachusetts.

in 1762 earliest of fuadaich nan gàidheal (scottish highland clearances) forced many gaelic families off ancestral lands. first ship loaded hebridean colonists arrived on st.-john s island (prince edward island) in 1770, later ships following in 1772, , 1774. in 1773 ship named hector landed in pictou, nova scotia, 189 settlers, originating lochbroom. in 1784 last barrier scottish settlement – law restricting land-ownership on cape breton island – repealed, , both pei , nova scotia predominantly gaelic-speaking. estimated more 50,000 gaelic settlers emigrated nova scotia , cape breton island between 1815 , 1870.

her famous voyage took place in 1773 departure date around second week of july, carrying 189 highlanders immigrating nova scotia. vessel s owner, mr. john pagan, along dr. john witherspoon, purchased 3 shares of land near pictou, nova scotia. pagan , witherspoon hired john ross recruiting agent settlers willing emigrate pictou offer of free passage, 1 year of free provisions, , farm. settlers (23 families, 25 single men) recruited @ greenock renfrewshire , @ lochbroom (ross-shire) majority being lochbroom. settlers boarded hector poor, obscure, illiterate crofters , artisans northern [scotland], spoke gaelic. school teacher, william mckenzie 1 of few passengers on hector speak both gaelic , english.

hector old ship , in poor condition when left europe. arduous voyage pictou took 11 weeks, gale off newfoundland causing 14-day delay. dysentery , smallpox claimed 18 lives amongst passengers. vessel arrived in pictou harbour on september 15, landing @ brown s point, west of present-day town of pictou.

the year s free provisions never materialized passengers of hector. had hurry build shelter without provisions before winter set in , starved them.