Charlton Island facts for kids
Charlton Island, Nunavut.
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 Charlton Island
Location in Nunavut
Charlton Island
Location in Canada
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| Geography | |
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| Location | James Bay |
| Coordinates | 52°00′N 79°30′W / 52.000°N 79.500°W |
| Archipelago | Canadian Arctic Archipelago |
| Area | 308 km2 (119 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
| Nunavut | Nunavut |
| Region | Qikiqtaaluk |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Charlton Island (also known as Sivukutaitiarruvik) is an island in James Bay, Nunavut, Canada. It is not currently home to any people.
The island is found northwest of Rupert Bay. It covers an area of 308 square kilometers.
Early Explorers and Traders
The island was named by Thomas James. He was an explorer who spent the winter of 1631 on the island. He named it after Prince Charles. James Bay itself is also named after him.
In 1668, people setting up Fort-Rupert likely saw Charlton Island. Later, in 1674, a man named Charles Bayly almost crashed his ship there.
Before 1679, Bayly suggested that Charlton Island should be a main meeting point. It would be a central place for three trading posts around James Bay. This plan was followed until at least 1685. After a battle in Hudson Bay in 1686, the French even planned to send their prisoners to the island.
A New Trading Post
Around 1802, the North West Company (NWC) became interested in Charlton Island. This company was a rival to the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC).
In the summer of 1803, the NWC sent a ship and a group of people to James Bay. They met at Charlton Island, which was in HBC territory. The NWC claimed the island for themselves. They built a fort there called Fort St. Andrews. They also built two other forts at the mouths of the Moose River and Eastmain River.
The NWC's goal was to make the HBC let them use Hudson Bay for trade. What happened next is not fully known.
