Worn by A. A. Chesterfield (Kent, England 1877-Rednersville ON 1959)
Two photographs exist of Albert Alexander Chesterfield (1877-1959) in a hunting pose wearing this coat; in one he also appears to be wearing the breaches. The cut of the coat and the differently coloured bias tape trim are inspired by Inuit clothing design. Given Chesterfield’s approximate age and the landscape in the photos, his outfit likely dates to his Hudson’s Bay Company period. Chesterfield started his career with the HBC as an apprentice clerk at Rigolet, Labrador, in 1895. During his five years at this post, he also began experimenting with photography. But it was at his subsequent postings in Moose Factory, Fort George, and Great Whale River (today Whapmagoostui), between 1901 and 1904, that he produced numerous photographs of Inuit and Cree inhabitants, leaving a rich and complex record.