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Historical
Celebrations |
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Linda Mackey and Doris McCarthy |
In 2002, I experienced
the great adventure of travelling to the High Arctic with
Doris McCarthy, then 92-year-old world-renowned artist
on her 16th painting trip to the Arctic. While there,
I met the daughters of Maurice Haycock: Kathy Haycock
and Karole Pittman. We travelled on a ship through the
high arctic, at times following an ice-breaker and supply
ship, through some of the most dramatic landscape I’ve
ever seen. |
| The last night on the
voyage, the Haycock girls thrilled some of the passengers
with a slide-presentation of their Dad’s Arctic
paintings and stories. One story in particular, was of
how he travelled back from the Arctic in 1927 on the Beothic,
where he met A.Y. Jackson (Group of Seven artist) and
Frederick Banting (discoverer of insulin). |
left to right: Kathy Haycock, Linda Mackey,
Karole Pittman meet in the High Arctic |
Maurice Hall Haycock, 1927 |
They told us of the ice-pilot’s
job, and how he would have to climb the mast, look for
the best route with the least amount of ice, row out to
that ice, check the depth with a tin can, and then put
dynamite in the tin can, and blow up the ice for the ship
to pass through. It made me really appreciate the ice
pilot we had, as well the ice-equipped ship, and satellite.
Their stories inspired me to share the Arctic with students
back in Toronto. Maurice Haycock and his daughters have
been a great inspiration to myself and many others. He
is one of the best kept secrets of Canadian Arctic history,
and one of the great Canadian artists. It is in his footsteps,
that we follow, creating new footsteps for the future. |
Kathy Hayock in front of Little Yellow
House
Pangnirtung, 2004 |
We hope to restore the yellow house
he built in Pangnirtung,
and build a cairn in memory of Maurice Haycock next to
the one he built for A.Y. Jackson on Ellesmere
Island. Maurice Haycock’s daughters are also
completing two of the books
that their father started on his Arctic experiences.
We are excited to share this part of our Canadian heritage
with you. Please watch for updates on our progress.
~ Linda Mackey, Director, Arctic Quest
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