I’m almost at the end of trip to North America exploring historical locations linked with the Robins in Canada. The Robin, Pipon Company was established in 1765 at Arichat, Nova Scotia by John Robin of Jersey. With his brother Charles, John obtained the grant for the southwest half of Chéticamp Island, then secured the rest of the island shortly after establishing a second trading post there in 1767, known as La Pointe. Located at the southernmost tip of Chéticamp Island La Pointe has a natural harbour and has been a place of refuge, providing shelter to seafaring explorers and fishermen as early as the 1500s. By 1774, the business was being handled by two separate companies; the Robin, Pipon Company was operating out of Gaspé while Robin and Company was operating out of Cape Breton. The three Robin brothers, John, Charles, and Philip, each had equal shares in the two firms. After the War of Independence in America the Robins resumed their operations in 1777 although they had suffered great loss. In the 1780s the two companies were renamed; Robin, Pipon Company became Charles Robin & Company (CRC) and Robin and Company became Philip Robin & Company (PRC). The attached three images are from Arichat and Chéticamp where fishing is still the main driver of the economy, and no doubt that the legacy of the Robins and their cod-businesses are evident in the culture of the local communities and landscape.
