Charles Fish, a blacksmith and native of Sturminster, Dorset in England's west country arrived at Ft. Victoria on the first voyage of the Norman Morison to the west coast in 1850. He was contracted to the Hudson's Bay Company. The following year his brothers James, 22, and Robert, 18, contracted with the Puget Sound Agricultural Company and were of the party of men accompanying Langford on board the Tory which arrived in Victoria, 1851. During the salute fired at the fort to honour the arrival of the Tory, Charles Fish had his arm blown off. J.R. Anderson noted that he was subsequently buried in the first cemetery for the fort - a ravine near the corner of present day Johnson and Douglas.

In 1858 his remains were exhumed to the pioneer cemetery on Quadra Street in the north west corner; a path now runs over the spot.¹

It is interesting to note that in defense of the Hudson's Bay Company's efforts to colonize the island, Pelly (HBC Governor ) wrote to Grey (Colonial Secretary) citing letters he had received. Pelly's letter is dated January 1852. In light of the above, one questions the veracity of Pelly's claims: The letter Pelly cites is supposedly from the father of the Fish brothers:

James and Robert fulfilled their contract with the Company and by 1856 were able to purchase 50 acres in the Lake district. It appears that they became friends with the infamous Mathias Rowland and were the witnesses to his marriage to Eliza Little in 1858.³ Four years later, the inseparable brothers also married - on the same day - two sisters, Ann and Ellen Morris.⁴

1 J.R. Anderson, Notes and Comments on Early Days in British Columbia, Washington and Oregon.; also Burial Register, Ft. Victoria, Nov. 16, 1851. Charles Fish, age. 21.

2 Records of Ft. Victoria, HBC accounts, A/C 15 H86

3 Marriage Records. Christ Church Parish Register. 1859-72, May 23, 1858.

4 Ibid., Mar. 30, 1863. Their witnesses were Mathew Francis of Esquimalt and Agnes White.

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