Anthony Henday

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Anthony Henday (Hendry) (fl. 1750 – 1762) was one of the first white men to explore the interior of the Canadian northwest. His explorations were authorized and funded by the Hudson's Bay Company because of their concern with La Verendrye and the other western commanders who were funneling fur trade from the northwest to their forts.

Henday volunteered to undertake an expedition into this territory. He was a native of the Isle of Wight who was a convicted smuggler[1] and joined the HBC in 1750 as a net-maker and labourer. Henday had gained some experience in inland travel after arriving at York Factory. On June 26, 1754, he set out with a group of Plains Indians. It is documented that they passed the French Fort Paskoya where he may have met La Corne, the western commander at that time.

This trip, and later ones, took Henday across much of the prairies of what is now Saskatchewan and Alberta and although his journal cannot always be put in a modern context, it is evident that he brought much trade to York Factory. Records show that some of the trade also went to the French at Fort Saint-Louis (Fort de la Corne) and Fort Paskoya which were on the route to Hudson's Bay. He left the service of the HBC in 1762 largely because his efforts for the company, at least in his estimation, had not been properly recognized.

Anthony Henday Drive, a large ring road currently under construction in Edmonton is named in his honour.