Ulster-Scots Pioneers in the Pacific Northwest

In February 1862, twelve young men from North Down set out for the goldfields of British Columbia, lured by dreams of fortune in the Cariboo Mountains. Some returned home; others stayed to help shape a growing colony. 

In this talk, author Brian White — great-grandson of pioneer Alexander Robb — shares their remarkable story through Robb’s original letters home, offering a unique window into the hopes, hardships, and legacy of these Ulster men in the Canadian gold rush. 

Brian White, born in British Columbia, is a retired senior civil servant. A graduate of the University of Cambridge and Queen’s Belfast, he has a keen interest in social and economic history, and in the use of family documents and stories to help explore the past.