 This was spurred in part by pressure from Evangelical groups in England, as well as from a desire by the Company to improve its public face by improving the standard of living in Rupert's Land.Ultimately, it was also meant to keep the British Government sympathetic to the HBC in case another party tried to stake a claim on Rupert's Land.The Company's Governor in Rupert's Land, Sir George Simpson, wanted to avoid giving ground to the Roman Catholic missionaries, who were backed by the French Government and already had a presence in the eastern districts, and maintain the HBC's control over the west.