Hugh Brian Vincent

Hugh Vincent was born on January 5th, 1931 in Saint John, NB, moving to Halifax when he was eight. He showed an early interest in, and aptitude for music, and when still young boy he became a choirboy at All Saints Cathedral.

In Halifax, Hugh attended Sir Charles Tupper School and Queen Elizabeth High School. He studied Psychology at Dalhousie University, receiving an MA, where he met his wife who also trained and worked as a psychologist. After graduation Hugh practiced at the Nova Scotia Hospital, transferring later to the Victoria General Hospital and then to Camp Hill Hospital; at the latter he dealt with armed forces personnel, government employees, and the RCMP. Considered a pioneer in his field, he was instrumental in the organization of the Association of Psychologists of Nova Scotia in 1965.

While at Camp Hill, Hugh was approached by the Royal Canadian Navy, offering him a position as its only psychologist. He was very happy in the Navy, developing a real love for sailing and stayed for 10 years. Later in his career he was offered the position of consulting psychologist with Deloitte Touche working from Montreal. With Hugh’s love of sailing, he was happy when he was transferred back to Nova Scotia; he left the firm when they wanted him to transfer yet again to Toronto.

It was at this point that Hugh started his own Human Resources consulting firm in Halifax. The business flourished with the help of his eventual business partner Miriam Englehart. His expertise was requested all across Canada and also the United States.

Hugh’s love of sailing took him many places including the Marblehead Race, St Pierre Miquelon, Newfoundland, Ireland and others. He was a long time and respected member and past Vice Commodore of the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron. Hugh’s interests were varied becoming a member of the Theatre Arts Guild helping in any capacity, financially or just a hammer in hand.

The Vincent family was deeply involved in the musical life of Halifax. In 1940, Hugh’s mother, Audrie, was a guest performer at the graduation recital held at the Nova Scotian Hotel of Conservatory student pianist Madeleine Delaney. Accompanied by the Halifax Conservatory of Music Orchestra conducted by Ifan Williams, Audrie Vincent performed a group of three vocal numbers including Bach’s “My Heart Ever Faithful”. She was also active in the city’s music festival organizing committee; in 1962 she attended meetings of the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals held in Saskatoon. Audrie was also active in the Conservatory’s Alumni Association (now Bravura Nova Scotia) and the Halifax Ladies’ Musical Club, serving terms as president of both organizations.

In 1946 Hugh’s father Harold Vincent, a businessman who headed the Vincent Brokerage Company, was invited by the outgoing Chair of the Conservatory’s Board of Directors, Arthur Barnstead, to join the Board which at the time oversaw both the Halifax Conservatory of Music and the Halifax Ladies’ College. Mr. Vincent was elected Chair, a position he was to fulfill with distinction for a number of years.

Several decades later Hugh Vincent was to follow in his father’s footsteps as Chair of the Conservatory’s Board of Directors. During the period when the former Chebucto School was being refurbished as the home of the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, he made significant donations that covered the cost of restoring one of the main classrooms, now called the Audrie and Harold Vincent Room. In 2004, Hugh Vincent was one of five major donors to the Conservatory who were named Honourees.

Until his death in 2021 at age 90, Hugh Vincent maintained a feisty interest in MCPA and Bravura Nova Scotia, of which he was an Honorary Life Member. He could also be counted on to express in colourful and forceful terms his true views of how things were going, whether positive or negative.