Receiving his early education in St.John's School, he had gone home to England, taken his degrees, become a lawyer, and afterward had gone into educational work.

He was, at the time of the visit spoken of, Dean of the College of Preceptors in London, and had much reputation as an educationalist.

But the service he rendered to his native land out-topped all his other achievements.

We have already shown the tendency toward restriction being developed under Recorder Thom's leadership, in Red River Settlement.

James Sinclair, a member of a most respectable Scotch half-breed family, had obtained the privilege from the Company to export tallow, the product of the buffalo, by way of York Factory to England.
The venture succeeded, but a second shipment was held at York Factory for nearly two years, and thus Sinclair was virtually compelled to sell it to the Company.
Twenty leading half-breeds then appealed to the Hudson's Bay Company to be allowed to export tallow at a reasonable rate.