Henry Pellatt
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Major-General Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, C.V.O., D.C.L.,(January 6, 1859, Kingston, Ontario, Canada - March 8, 1939) was a well-known Canadian financier and soldier.
He is perhaps best known for his role in bringing hydro-electricity to Toronto for the first time and for his famous house, Casa Loma, in Toronto, which was the largest private home ever constructed in North America.
Sir Henry was also a noted supporter of the Boy Scouts of Canada. His wife Lady Mary Pellatt was the first Chief Commissioner of the Girl Guides of Canada.
He was educated at Upper Canada College before leaving in 1876 to join his father's stock brokerage company, Pellatt and Osler, as a clerk. In 1882, Osler and Pellatt parted ways, and Henry Jr. completed his apprenticeship and became a full member of the stock exchange. In the following year, Henry Pellatt Sr. set up a partnership with his son under the name Pellatt and Pellatt.
Sir Henry enlisted as a Rifleman with The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada on November 2nd, 1876. In 1882 he married Mary Dodgson, who would later become Lady Pellatt when he was knighted in 1905 for his service with The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada.
He had three sisters and two brothers, Fred Pellatt (grandfather of Toronto freelance writer John Pellatt) and Mill Pellatt (father of Mary Pellatt). The latter brother was paymaster of the Toronto Electric Light Company, a job obtained by Sir Henry. His sisters were Mary Kate, Marian Maria and Emily Mountford Pellatt.
Much of his fortune was made through investments in the hydro electricity and railway industries in Canada. The strain of maintaining his large castle led him to ill-advised real estate investments which were unsuccessful. The Province took over his electricity business and his airplane business was taken over as part of the war effort during World War I. Combined, these difficulties lead to his near bankruptcy and forced him and Lady Pellatt to leave Casa Loma.
Sir Henry was promoted to the rank of Major-General upon his retirement. When he died on March 8, 1939, thousands lined Toronto streets to witness his funeral procession. He was buried with full military honours.[1]
His body lies at rest in Forest Lawn Mausoleum in Toronto.
