The Castle on the Hill

“[Sir Henry Pellatt] wanted a place where he would be acknowledged as lord, and undisputed master, where he could foster and perhaps capture a sense of medieval-era grace and chivalry” (125).

The Book

In 1909, Sir Henry Pellatt was one of 23 millionaires in Canada who wielded great power. At the height of his power, he started work on a tangible legacy: Casa Loma. In Sir Henry Pellatt: The King of Casa Loma, author Carlie Oreskovich explores the contradictory actions and perspectives of Pellatt, while pulling the man out from the shadow of his castle.

Pellatt’s early life was marked by his father’s financial failures and a fresh start for the family in Toronto. After Pellatt Sr. opened his independent stockbroker business, the family’s financial affairs improved. In 1876, Pellatt left school to join his father’s business, becoming a full partner in 1883. It is also during this time that he joined the Queen’s Own Rifles military club, whom he would be actively involved with for the rest of his life.

By 1892, Pellatt Sr. had retired and Pellatt was running the business. Throughout his career, he profited off of shrewd business deals and sketchy business practices. His business dealings came under investigation multiple times, with accusations of financial manipulation and conflicts of interest. At the same time, Pellatt was well-respected throughout Toronto. Always eager to back new ventures, he was an early supporter of electric power and lobbied hard to bring the power of Niagara Falls to Toronto. His Toronto Electric Light Company had a 30-year monopoly for Toronto’s street lights and he joined with two other businessmen to build a power plant in Niagara Falls. A growing distrust of private control of utilities and tensions around price controls contributed to Pellatt’s financial difficulties and a public takeover in 1911.

In the middle of shady business management, Pellatt had two hobbies. After rising through the ranks, he commanded the Queen’s Own Rifles. He completely financed the regiment’s 1910 trip to England for seven weeks to participate in military maneuvers. This action was viewed as a massive act of patriotism. The second hobby, was the construction of Casa Loma, which also began in 1910. Construction took time, especially as the horses struggled to pull heavy wagon loads of materials up an unpaved hill. Pellatt visited the site daily, highly interested in the progress and the workers. He and his wife moved in June 1914, even though Casa Loma wasn’t finished. The outbreak of World War I and an economic downturn halted the work—resulting in Casa Loma never being finished.

The Pellatts were forced to move out of Casa Loma in 1923. By this point, Pellatt’s finances were in serious trouble and he was constantly borrowing against his investments. He sold Casa Loma in 1924 and watched a five-day auction of all his belongings. In 1937, the Kiwanis Club of West Toronto made the castle into a tourist attraction, charging 25 cents a tour. Pellatt died in 1939 and thousands turned out for the viewing, funeral, and funeral procession in appreciation for what he’d done and who he was, despite the scandals.

Oreskovich paints a picture of Pellatt that is full of contradictions, because that is the type of man he was: simultaneously a shady businessman and generous benefactor. After I finished reading, I did feel sorry for what Pellatt had to experience at the end of his life, but also saw his hand in financial decisions that harmed so many. There are brief mentions of Pellatt’s wife and hardly any of his son, including more would have helped the reader understand his character. The narrative flows well, with short chapters, and an informal style. News articles are quoted at length and a small amount of Pellatt’s writing is included. A black and white photo section is made up of snapshots from various events in Pellatt’s life. During the section on Casa Loma, one chapter steps out of the narrative to give a tour of the castle. Oreskovich describes rooms, provides facts, and explains what wasn’t finished by Pellatt. This was an interesting approach and similar to taking an audio tour.

The Place

Casa Loma is North America’s only full-sized castle and at one time was located on the outskirts of Toronto; today the city engulfs it. Visitors can still feel like they are removed from city life as they wander the grounds or walk the halls. When I visited, we began our tour in the gardens; while not large, they were full of a variety of flowers. The interior tour takes visitors through three floors, two towers, and the stables. My favorite parts were the library, with its dark paneling, chandeliers, and book cases, and the open-air Norman Tower providing amazing views of the Toronto skyline. Visitors end up in the basement, where there is a café and gift shop. Off in a corner is what would have been the indoor swimming pool. It’s been converted into a theatre, with folding chairs on the bottom of the pool. A biographical video of Henry Pellatt plays on a loop; it would have been more helpful to see this at the beginning of the tour.

Casa Loma is open daily and general admission tickets can be purchased online. You can also book one of several escape rooms. There is a small parking lot onsite, for a fee, or additional lots in the surrounding area. A multimedia audio guide is included in the admission fee, but you will need to provide your own cell phone and headphones. This was not clear on the website, and we didn’t have headphones with us. The audio guide was a bit glitchy, so our use of it was sporadic. Visiting Casa Loma involves a lot of walking and staircases. The two towers are accessible via multiple spiral staircases and visitors must take a tunnel, more than 100 feet, from the castle to the stables.