Scientific
Career/Musical Pursuits:
Haycock returned south and attended Princeton
University for his Ph.D. which he obtained in 1931.
That year he secured a job in Ottawa as a Mineralogist
with the Department of Mines. He pioneered the use of
the mass spectrometer in analysing minerals and discovered
a South African ore which was named Haycockite after
him. He was on the leading edge of Uranium research
during and after World War II, a project which, as a
pure scientist, he recalled as being very exciting.
Always an aficionado of classical music,
Haycock bought a baby grand piano in the 1930's. His
apartment became a popular gathering place for artists
and musicians, including Fred Varley of the Group of
Seven. Haycock later played the french horn in the Parkdale
United Church Orchestra, the Ottawa Philharmonic Orchestra
and the Ottawa Civic Symphony.
Even though the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra's
history can be traced back to l894, it was only in 1965,
under the leadership of Maurice Haycock, that local
musicians decided to form this ensemble. Their first
obstacle was an almost total lack of funds - there was
not even enough money for the maestro's podium back
then!
Follow the links to read about
the various chapters of his life:
Youth
Introduction
to the North and to A.Y. Jackson
Scientific
Career/ Musical Pursuits
Early
Painting/The Call of the North
The
Infatuation of the North
An
Active Philanthropist
Haycock's
Memory
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Maurice Hall Haycock played
the french horn in the Parkdale United Church Orchestra,
the Ottawa Philharmonic Orchestra and the Ottawa
Civic Symphony. |
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