The Victorian Age and its Personalities

The Victorian Age is well represented in other ways within the County. 'Ontario's best preserved mainstreet' is Walton St in Port Hope; it is quite famous for its many different antique stores. Port Hope's heritage house tours are always a sell out! In nearby Cobourg, Victoria Hall, 55 King St West, is probably the town's finest building with its deep-well Old Bailey courthouse, the Grand Concert Hall and the Art Gallery of Northumberland. Kivas Tully, who designed Victoria Hall and the St Lawrence Hall in Toronto, also designed the neo-gothic St. Peter's Anglican Church. Farther east, in Brighton, is the beautiful Victorian mansion, Proctor House, furnished circa 1867. It even has its own ghost! These are just a few of the Victorian buildings found here.

Along with fine Victorian homes, there are some unusual Victorian personalities that have left us admirable legacies. In Alderville, there is John Sunday who brought Christianity to his Ojibwa people. In Cobourg's Victoria Hall, you can visit the James Cockburn Room with its furnishings, circa 1860's. James Cockburn was a local MP, a Father of Confederation, a friend of Sir John A. Macdonald's and the first Speaker of our House of Commons. Another notable Cobourg citizen was the Academy Award winning actress, Marie Dressler who was born in the Marie Dressler House.

Just two of the notable people who came from the Port Hope area were Joseph Scriven and Vincent Massey. Known as 'the Good Samaritan of Port Hope', Joseph Scriven was most famous for being the author of that great hymn, What a Friend We Have in Jesus. One of three local monuments in his memory is located in Port Hope's Memorial Park, near the Cameco Capitol Arts Centre. Vincent Massey was our first Canadian-born Governor General; his term in office was extended twice and he is especially remembered for his support of the Canadian arts. He is buried in the Churchyard of St Mark's Anglican Church. Two other notable citizens were the Campbell brothers of Campbellford, Major David and Lt Col. Robert. As retired militia from the Napoleonic Wars, they were granted land along the shallow Trent River, hence the name Campbell's Ford. As a result of their efforts, the river was harnessed to provide power at the Old Mill Park. These are just a few of the interesting characters that had an impact on Northumberland County. Over 20 Ontario plaques dot our countryside commemorating people and places important to our heritage and culture.