Sir Henry Pellatt Timeline: 1920–2003

The fall of the fortune, the final years, and a lasting legacy

This timeline records the decline of Sir Henry Pellatt's fortune, his departure from Casa Loma, his death, and the enduring legacy of the King of Casa Loma book.

  • 1921, June 17. Granted rank of Major-General on retirement.
  • 1921, June 20. Appointed honourary Colonel of QOR.
  • 1923, April 20. Home Bank in trouble and the affairs of Pellatt and Pellatt a mess.
  • 1923, August 17. Home Bank closed its doors.
  • 1923, Dec. 4. Sir Henry's business partner Sir William Mackenzie died.
  • 1923, April. Pellatt and Pellatt on verge of bankruptcy.
  • 1923, May–July. The Pellatts were forced to move out of the castle. They moved a few blocks south to settle into two units of an apartment at 41–45 Spadina Road.
  • 1924, April 14. Mary Pellatt died.
  • 1924, June 23 week. All the goods left at Casa Loma were auctioned in one of the biggest auctions ever held in the city.
  • 1924, May 20. Enquiry into the fall of the Home Bank begins.
  • 1924, September 9. Trial of officers of the Home Bank.
  • 1925. Sir Henry retires from the brokerage business and Pellatt and Pellatt is left in the hands of Sir Henry's son Reginald and partners, Norman Macrae and William Rooney.
  • 1925, Dec. 14. Beatrix Leacock, niece of Sir Henry and wife of humorist Stephen Leacock, died.
  • 1926, June 22. Sir Henry presented with ceremonial sword at his King estate north of Toronto.
  • 1927, March 14. Sir Henry married Catharine Welland Merritt.
  • 1929, Dec. 20. Catharine Welland Merritt died.
  • 1932. Sir Henry now living at 78 Crescent Road.
  • 1933. Sir Henry now living at 62A Bernard Ave.
  • 1934. 100th Anniversary of the City of Toronto.
  • 1935, May 5. Silver Jubilee of H.M. King George V.
  • 1936, January 20. H.M. King George V died.
  • 1937. Sir Henry returned to Casa Loma as a guest speaker after the Kiwanis Club of West Toronto reopened the structure.
  • 1938. Castle officially opened by Kiwanis.
  • 1939, January 1. Sir Henry celebrated his 80th birthday.
  • 1939, March 8. Sir Henry died. Funeral held on March 11.
  • 1941, February 9. Lucy B. Pellatt died of secondary carcinoma.
  • 1946, November 5. Mill Pellatt died of coronary thrombosis.
  • 1947, January 3. Sir Henry's sister, Mary Kate Hamilton, died. Gangrene had set into her foot and leg.
  • 1949, June 9. Frederick M. Pellatt died of chronic sclerotic heart.
  • 1982. Sir Henry Pellatt: King of Casa Loma published. Republished in paperback in 1998.
Casa Loma seen from the grounds
Casa Loma, the castle Sir Henry Pellatt built.

Return to the full timeline highlights, or explore fascinating factoids about Casa Loma.