Sir James Hayes (1637–1694) was secretary to Prince Rupert and first Deputy-Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company.
He was educated at St Paul's School (London) and Corpus Christi College, Oxford, where he matriculated in 1649.
[1] He secured the post as Secretary to Prince Rupert at a time when England and France were vying for the natural riches of what is now Canada.
Hayes was behind the 1668 expedition whereby two French fur-traders, Pierre-Esprit Radisson and Médard des Groseilliers, were financially supported in an effort to set up a permanent British trading post on the shores of Hudson Bay.
Under Hayes guidance this in May 1672 became the Hudson's Bay Company with the sole rights to trade in a huge area of North America.