Inglis MacAulay
Inglis was born in Glace Bay, Cape Breton. As a very young man, Inglis landed his first job in 1937 as a clerk in “Galley’s” – a small clothing store in Glace Bay. Working from 8 am until 11 pm for a wage of $ 1.25 a day. With his father’s permission, he left Glace Bay at the age of 17 in order to take a required test to join the Air Force – he passed them all but was found too young and had to return home. He eventually studied for 3 years at a flying school in Stanley, near Windsor, Nova Scotia and in Trenton finished his engine repair training. In 1943 he left for active Air Force service on Christmas Day in a wild storm from Halifax; this took him to England, Belgium and Holland. Upon his return to Cape Breton in 1946 he joined the Dominion Coal Company’s Security System and became Chief Inspector in 1966, which led to Chief of Security in 1969, a post he held for 15 years until 1984. As well he served as Town Councillor from 1962 until 1977, was re-elected in 1989 under Mayor Donald MacInnis and served until 1995, when amalgamation took place and Inglis retired. Along with Howard MacKinnon, Inglis was a founding member of the Glace Bay Historical Society in 1983. One of the early tasks of this Society was setting up the Marconi Trail. In 1987 the Mayor and Council – by that time Inglis was the Deputy Mayor – elected to move out of the 75-year-old, tired and worn Town Hall and relocate elsewhere. Although Mayor Donald MacInnis wanted the building torn down in 1987, Inglis was the one who persuaded the majority of Councillors to spare the building from the wrecking ball and suggested the Glace Bay Historical Society take ownership. With Howard MacKinnon at the helm, the Society formed a committee to plan and work on renovations and subsequently established a Heritage Museum, a Tourist Information Centre and Bookstore in 1990. Despite valiant efforts to continue the operation, financial pressures forced the Historical Society to abandon its goals in 1997 and vacate the Town Hall. In 1998, once again, the Municipality decided to tear down Glace Bay’s now vacant Old Town Hall. Opposition to this destruction led to the formation of the current Glace Bay Heritage Museum Society, whose mandate is to restore this historic building to its former glory. Over the next years, the Historical Society has been extremely encouraging and supportive in so many ways. When the Glace Bay Heritage Museum Society was successful in restoring the Old Town Hall and able to open the new Museum in 2003, it was Inglis MacAulay and Howard MacKinnon, who had the honour of cutting the ribbon for the Grand Opening – two gentlemen, who had the vision to save this Heritage Building the first time around in 1987.