Stephen Butler Leacock 1869 - 1944

Stephen Leacock, Canada's beloved humourist spent his most creative time in what he coined as Lake Simcoe Country.

The success of his Elements of Political Science and his first satirical books Literary Lapses, Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town and Arcadian Adventures of the Idle Rich allowed him to move from his family's summer house at Sibbald Point, Lake Simcoe and over time develop his own lakeside retreat at Old Brewery Bay, where Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching join.

Here in 1928 he built Leacock House (above) designed by Wright & Noxon, Toronto.  The scale and ambience of the plans reflected Leacock's success and prestige as a world renowned author and a celebrated academic.

He was born 30 December 1869 at Swanmore, county of Hampshire, England.

In 1876 he emigrated to Canada with his family and settled on a farm near the hamlet of Egypt, south of Sibbald Point on Lake Simcoe.

Leacock was educated at Upper Canada College, Toronto.  He completed a degree in modern languages at the University of Toronto in 1891.

Inspired by Thorstein Veblen's The Theory of the Leisure Class, he enrolled at the University of Chicago, receiving a Ph.D. in political economy and political science under Veblen in 1903.

Concurrently he joined the Department of Economics and Political Science at McGill University, Montreal.

In 1906 he published his first and most profitable book:  Elements of Political Science, a university textbook.  Twenty-seven other books of non-fiction followed.

In 1908 he became head of his department at McGill, helped found the University Club and began developing Old Brewery Bay.

The first of his thirty-five books of humour, Literary Lapses was published in 1910.  Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town followed in 1912 and in 1914 Arcadian Adventures of the Idle Rich.

Leacock was elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 1919 and in 1921 made an extensive lecture tour of the United Kingdom.  In 1935 he received the Mark Twain Medal.  He retired from McGill in 1936.

Stephen Butler Leacock died 28 March 1944 at Toronto from throat cancer and was buried, across the lake from Old Brewery Bay, in the Leacock family plot at St. George's Church, Sibbald Point.Hours of Operation (subject to change)
Day                          Museum                              Gift Shop                            Administration Office
Monday            10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.             10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.       8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday           10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.             10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.       8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday      10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.             10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.       8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Thursday          10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.             10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.       8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Friday               10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.             10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.       8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Saturday           CLOSED                                      CLOSED                               CLOSED
Sunday             CLOSED                                      CLOSED                               CLOSED
 
Admissions
Suggested minimum is $5.00. For booked  groups  of  10  or  more  persons, the Group Rate Admission rate will be $3.50 per person. 
 
Leacock Museum National Historic Site, 50 Museum Drive, Orillia, ON, L3V 6K5


 The success of his Elements of Political Science and his first satirical books Literary Lapses, Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town and Arcadian Adventures of the Idle Rich allowed him to move from his family's summer house at Sibbald Point, Lake Simcoe and over time develop his own lakeside retreat at Old Brewery Bay, where Lake Simcoe and Lake Couchiching join.

Swanmore Hall (Leacock Cafe)

Gourmade Thyme Catering

Contact Marie Brennan the Exclusive Caterer at the Swanmore Hall (Leacock Cafe) to ask about our full-service catering for your special event! Please note that hours are subject to change due to season. For additional information, please call 705-329-1908 x806.

www.GourmadeThyme.com