BRIAN CUTHBERTSON

HISTORICAL RESEARCHER
HERITAGE CONSULTANT
AUTHOR OF HISTORICAL PUBLICATIONS

6464 Waegwoltic Avenue
Halifax, Nova Scotia
CANADA B3H 2B4

Ph: (902) 429-9085
Fac: 425-1679
E-mail: brian.cuthbertson@ns.sympatico.ca

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Kings College, University of London, England

M.A. Atlantic Provinces History, University of New Brunswick

B.A. with honours in History and Political Science, McGill University

EXPERIENCE

Under contract to the Red Bank First Nation in New Brunswick and the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs as historical researcher for specific land claims.

Under contract to Ogilvy Renault for document research and preparation of reports on the offshore boundary dispute between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

I have completed contracts for the Halifax Regional Municipality on the Titanic, Home for the Coloured Children in Dartmouth, Deadman’s Island (Northwest Arm), A History of Halifax City Hall and the Grand Parade, An Historical Survey of Fultz Corner, a Report on Lighthouses in Halifax Regional Municipality and a Report on Halifax and Electricity: Trams, Street Lighting and Elevators

Author of two illustrated town histories for Formac Publishing, a Nova Scotian publisher—Lunenburg: An Illustrated History published in July 1996 and Wolfville & Grand Pré: Past and Present published in November 1996. Both books include walking tours and are designed for the tourism market. An Illustrated History of the Halifax Citadel is due for publication in the Spring of 2001.

In July 1997 I published John Cabot & the Voyage of the Matthew, as part of the 500th anniversary celebrations for John Cabot’s  discovery of North America on 24  June 1497. At the request of the Newfoundland Historical Society, I was the Nova  Scotian representative on a panel discussion on Cabot’s Landfall held in St. John’s.

I have competed contracts with Canada Post for historical and graphic research for eight stamps, including those for the Confederation Bridge, the Cabot Trial, Upper Saint John River, W.J. Roue, the Marco Polo and most recently the Tall Ships. As well I did work for nine of the stamps that appeared in the Canada Post: The Millennium Collection for the year 2000.

Guide for heritage walking and bus tours of old Halifax, including for such special groups as visiting Commonwealth Chief Justices, 1996 Loyalist Convention and the  1997 Canadian Judges Meeting.

In 1997, I completed a contract with Tourism Nova Scotia to interview Agnes de Garthe on tape and video and to catalogue the de Garthe Collection held in Peggy’s Cove and the Nova Scotia Art Bank. In 1998, I completed a second contract for cataloguing the Craig Mooney Collection of watercolours belonging to Tourism Nova Scotia.

Long term member of the National Archival Appraisal Board - Atlantic Region. Responsibilities involve the appraisal for tax purposes of archival fonds donated under the Cultural Property Export and Import Act to such institutions as the Public Archives of Nova Scotia and university archives.

Report on the Establishment of Exhibit (Museum) and Computer Simulation Activity Centres at the Lester P. Pearson Canadian International Peacekeeping Training Centre. The aim of this was to analyse and make recommendations for proceeding with a Peacekeeping Exhibit Centre and Computer Simulation Activity Centre.

An associate with Gibson’s, a dealer in fine antiques, of 6319 Chebucto Road, Halifax.

Primary responsibility was the administration of the provincial Heritage Property Act. This involved historical and architectural research and the registration of properties by reason of their historical associations, architectural significance and cultural value.

I did the historical research for and prepared over 130 Heritage Property Case Studies for presentation to the Minister’s Advisory Council on Heritage Property. This work required extensive regular travel throughout the province, meeting with heritage property owners, municipal officials, municipal Heritage Advisory Committees, and groups and individuals concerned with heritage. It also involved giving annually talks and slide presentations to thirty to forty groups on Nova Scotian history and heritage.

I was responsible for the drafting of the amendment to the Heritage Property Act to allow municipalities to pass heritage conservation district by-laws and for assisting municipalities in the process for establishing such districts.

Archival responsibilities primarily involved the collection and cataloguing of government departmental records and donated material on Nova Scotian history. The work involved research into government record keeping. I was instrumental in convincing the Government of the need for a Provincial Records Manager and I was on the selection board for the appointment. As well, I had extensive dealings with the public on the province’s history and heritage. My duties also involved compiling the Inventory of Manuscripts in the Public Archives of Nova Scotia, published in 1976.

SKILLS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Work as Head of Heritage, archivist and author of eight books on Nova Scotian history has led to my recognition as a leading authority on Nova Scotia’s history and heritage. In 1995, the Federation Nova Scotian Heritage and Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia recognized my “outstanding leadership and dedication to Nova Scotia culture and heritage” by making me a life member of their organizations. In the case of Heritage Trust, I was the first so awarded in its history. In 1992, I received the Commemorative Medal for the 125th Anniversary of Confederation in recognition “of significant contribution to Compatriots, Community and to Canada”.

The 1984 winner of The Evelyn Richardson Memorial Literary Prize for the best Nova Scotian non-fiction book published that year.

Present editor of the Journal of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society, past editor of the Collections of the Nova Scotia Historical Society, and past publisher and editor of the Nova Scotia Historical Review.

VOLUNTEER RESPONSIBILITIES SINCE RETIREMENT

Archivist for the Anglican Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Principal editor for the Journal of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society, a new publication, which is the amalgamation of the Collections of the Society and the Nova Scotia Historical Review.

PUBLICATIONS

The Halifax Citadel: Portrait of a Military Fortress (Formac, 2001)

Voices of Business: A History of Commerce in Halifax (2000)

John Cabot & the Voyage of the Matthew (Formac, Halifax, 1997)

Wolfville & Grand Pré: Past and Present (Formac, Halifax, 1996)            

Lunenburg: An Illustrated History (Formac, Halifax, 1996)

Johnny Bluenose at the Polls: Epic Nova Scotian Election Battles 1758-1848 (Formac, Halifax, 1994)

The First Bishop: A Biography of Charles Inglis (Waegwoltic Press, Halifax, 1987)

The Loyalist Governor: A Biography of Sir John Wentworth (Petheric Press, Halifax, 1984)

The Journal of the Reverend John Payzant, ed. (Acadia Divinity College, Wolfville, N.S., 1981)

The Old Attorney General: A Biography of Richard John Uniacke (Nimbus, Halifax, 1980) more info

Canadian Military Independence in the Age of the Superpowers (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Toronto, 1978)

Five biographies of Nova Scotians for the Dictionary of Canadian Biography.

Numerous articles on Nova  Scotian history.