Prairie History: “So much does one thing depend upon another here”: The Intersection of Labour and Mercantile Commerce in the Daily Journals of York Factory, 1870-1874

by Frank Tough
University of Alberta

Number 04, Winter 2021

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Table 3

No.

Tasks Performed

Type of Labour

Post Servants

Post Servants and Indians

Indians

No. Days Task Referenced

Skilled and Specialized

General

Cooper

Tinsmith

Blacksmith

Carpenter

Boatbuilder

Sailmaker

Sawyer

Dog Driver

Fisherman

1

Serving regales/rations

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

55

2

Making or repairing kettle kegs and casks

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

54

3

Making or repairing tin kettles

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

52

4

Dressing staves for sugar kegs

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

43

5

Making packing cases

 

✓

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

54

6

Making windows

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

12

7

Making iron tracking pairs

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

2

8

Building or repairing boats

✓

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

172

9

Cutting boat wood

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

✓

 

 

109

10

Cutting (fire) wood

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

✓

✓

 

113

11

Sewing sails

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

✓

 

 

94

12

Fishing

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

✓

 

✓

40

13

Hauling wood

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

✓

105

14

Hunting

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

✓

 

99

15

Repairing dog harnesses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

✓

21

16

Making door handles and latches

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

10

17

River fishing

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

✓

 

 

154

18

Making knives

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

19

Making doors

✓

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

53

20

Making sauce pan handles

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

7

21

Making or repairing dog sledges

 

✓

 

 

✓

 

 

 

✓

 

✓

 

 

19

22

Making or repairing nets

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

✓

 

 

118

23

Making clasps

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

3

24

Making hinges

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

9

25

Hauling hay

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

26

26

Travelling for deliveries

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

✓

23

27

Making wood hauling tracks

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

17

28

Making Pomatum boxes

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

5

29

Tying quills

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

3

30

Preparing for fishing/hunting

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

✓

 

 

4

31

Making candlesticks

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

3

32

Making pans

✓

 

✓

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

68

33

Sweeping stove pipes

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

9

34

Ironwork for boats

 

 

 

✓

 

✓

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

18

35

Investigating workplace issues

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

3

36

Repairing roofs

✓

✓

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

7

37

Repairing guns and traps

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

12

38

Repairing Indian guns and traps

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

9

39

Building and repairing stoves

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

20

40

Digging graves

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

1

41

Sundry ironwork repairs

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

36

42

Ice cutting

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

23

43

Hauling ice

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

44

Making tin lamps

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

7

45

Clearing snow

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

7

46

Plastering icehouse

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

1

47

Making glass cases

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

48

Packing fish and venison

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

49

Working in store or shop

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

✓

✓

80

50

Clearing wood hauling track

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

✓

15

51

Dressing wood for new house

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

91

52

Stowing wood

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

✓

8

53

Filling shot

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

5

54

Making stove pipes

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

30

55

Making oars

 

 

 

 

✓

✓

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

18

56

Making cases for furs

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

15

57

Making gun cases

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

58

Making dog meat

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

59

Making putty

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

2

60

Making tea pots

 

 

✓

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

18

61

Making hunting skiff

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

7

62

Taking down woodcutting house

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

63

Repairing water buckets

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

64

Packing

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

20

65

Caulking new house

✓

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

11

66

Making pint porringers

 

 

✓

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

16

67

Filling whole pieces

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

68

Making drain boxes

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

10

69

Taking inventory of iron

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

1

70

Bundling iron for districts

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

71

Filling molasses

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

72

Making spears (blacksmith)

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

73

Working in the kitchen

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

2

74

Working at Schooner

✓

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

24

75

Working at sundry outside jobs

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

✓

8

76

Squaring wood for partition of new house

✓

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

1

77

Making wedges

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

7

78

Making or repairing ironwork for boats

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

28

79

Preparing rafting party

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

3

80

Carting manure or soil to gardens

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

16

81

Supplying provision shed

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

5

82

Packing feathers

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

3

83

Hauling seine

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

2

84

Unloading rafts

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

26

85

Digging gardens

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

✓

18

86

Oiling boat covers

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

3

87

Sweeping Fort

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

18

88

Varnishing schooner decks

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

3

89

Cleaning blubber house

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

3

90

Doing indoor work

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

3

91

Piling logs

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

2

92

Laying drain boxes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

1

93

Clearing off chips

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

2

94

Rafting wood

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

✓

✓

24

95

Preparing wood for repairing ships

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

2

96

Making/reparing goose casks

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

17

97

Making furnace

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

3

98

River mourings and riggings

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

99

Planting turnips

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

100

Putting down small ships

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

101

Working on schooner rigging

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

102

Repairing hay carts

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

1

103

Repairing tools

 

 

 

 

✓

✓

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

7

104

Making blubber boxes

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

14

105

Making waterboard for a new house

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

106

Making coffins

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

3

107

Building new house

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

98

108

Haymaking

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

✓

 

50

109

Preparing for travel

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

110

Weeding gardens

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

111

Whaling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

✓

 

10

112

Cutting wood for houses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

✓

 

 

1

113

Going off for blubber

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

6

114

Branding stoves

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

3

115

Discharging schooner

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

13

116

Working in the gardens

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

117

Assisting tinsmiths

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

2

118

Painting windows

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

1

119

Making firestarts

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

120

Repairing river bank face

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

✓

9

121

Loading hay

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

2

122

Filling turf around buildings

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

11

123

Putting up a beacon

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

124

Travelling for hay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

14

125

Scraping spar and blocks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

2

126

Working on ballast

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

3

127

Pickling geese

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

2

128

Loading boats

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

1

129

Working mud for new oven

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

130

Building and repairing ovens

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

19

131

Hauling up boats

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

15

132

Digging root vegetables

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

8

133

Carrying root vegetables

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

9

134

Tearing down summer mess room

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

135

Making drain at sawpile

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

6

136

Sewing or repairing shot bags

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

24

137

Hanging fish

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

✓

 

 

3

138

Assisting blacksmith

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

1

139

Making lanterns

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

140

Recovering body from drowning

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

8

141

Mudding houses

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

142

Housing cattle

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

1

143

Clearing ice house

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

144

Slaughtering [unspecified]

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

11

145

Preparing and building firewood shanty

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

11

146

Cutting up beef

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

147

Making wooden ox sledges

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

148

Making or repairing firewood sledge

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

12

149

Making curtain rods

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

6

150

Making brasswork for windows

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

10

151

Dressing wood for dog sleds

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

152

Making springs for doors

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

3

153

Dressing weatherboards

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

 

 

 

✓

 

 

4

Totals 

97

7

8

21

19

8

1

3

2

5

140

9

20

2825

Percent of tasks

83

5

12

 

Percent of actual number days working on tasks

92

2

6

 

Page revised: 22 February 2021