Description of Historic Place

The three-storey, square plan of the Bank of Upper Canada is distinguished by its Italianate style, with ornamental brackets, tall narrow windows, and heavy decorated hood surrounds. It is located on John Street, just blocks away from Port Hope's downtown commercial district and just west of the Ganaraska River.

The Bank of Upper Canada at 86 John Street is recognized for its heritage value by the Town of Port Hope By-law 34/81, Schedule B, passed on May 25, 1981.

Heritage Value

The Bank of Upper Canada was originally established in Toronto in 1822, and had established a branch on Walton Street in downtown Port Hope by 1840. Until its demise in 1866, the Bank was one of North America's leading banks, and played a significant role in the financial development of Upper Canada. The 'new' Bank of Upper Canada was built on John Street in 1857, and operated there until 1866 when the building was sold to the Ontario Bank. It remained as the Port Hope branch of the Ontario Bank until 1881.

In 1881, Dr. Robert Astley Corbett M.D purchased the property to use as both his home and medical offices. Corbett went on to become President of the Port Hope Electric Light Company, having constructed a dam on the Ganaraska River that facilitated the delivery of electric power by the installation of a generator on Cavan Street.

This building is an excellent example of the Italianate style. It was designed by Cumberland and Storm, a prominent Toronto architectural firm. Previously, the firm had also designed two other branches of the Bank of Upper Canada, in Windsor (1855) and Sarnia (1857). The building has the massive, square, blocky form often seen in the design of Italianate buildings and includes impressive window trim, hood mouldings and a bracketed cornice line.

Source: Heritage Designation By-law 34/81, Municipality of Port Hope

Character-Defining Elements

Character defining elements of the Bank of Upper Canada include its:
- features embodied in the Italianate style, demonstrated in its square plan, flat roof with wide eaves supported by decorative brackets, the tall and round headed windows, and ornamental window trim and hood moulds and three-storey height
- other decorative elements, including cast iron balconies
- location just south of the downtown core at the corner of John and Augusta Streets