Sir Henry Pellatt: The King of Casa Loma

Susanne Day is a retired education specialist whose focus was physically
challenged, blind, and speech-impaired children.

A child growing up in Toronto during the past forty years had a favourite place to take visiting out-of-town cousins. Casa Loma — that fairy-tale castle on a hill south of St. Clair Avenue — was always a big hit! Now for these grown-up children here is the story of the “King of the Castle.” Carlie Oreskovich tells the reader all about the ups and downs of Sir Henry Pellatt’s colourful life.

Henry Pellatt always had a strong will to succeed. Not too much is known of his academic school record, but his athletic record was impressive and he went on to set an international record in running which was not beaten until Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile in 1954.

In business he did spectacularly well at times, but his methods were often questionable and he ended his long life in very straitened circumstances.

His love of Empire, pomp and circumstance, and the Queen’s Own Rangers led to many colourful events hosted or arranged by him and/or his wife, Lady Mary Pellatt, and the building of Casa Loma was a very central part of his image. He was flamboyant, conniving, ambitious and self-seeking, but he was also loyal, generous and adventurous.

To read this book is to look at a Toronto and its citizens of the recent past, a time which, though so recent, seems so long ago. This is an interesting and enjoyable book about an incredible Torontonian and his fabulous castle.