S u BM IT TED_PH OTOS Above, the home of Senator Henry Corby, son of Renry Corby Sr., owner of Corby Distillery Limited, was located on George Street in Belleville. It was demolished in the fall of 1959 to make way for an apartment building. Senator Henry Corby Jr., right, was born in Belleville in 1851. nickel-plated plumbing fixtures "all beto- ken a past which encompassed warm, live, and vigorous people w7ho took great pride in their way of life." The erstwhile owner of the home, Henry Corby Jr. wras the son of his namesake, Henry Corby Sr., a successful and wealthy local miller and distiller who, in 1859, founded the original company that would grow and later be known as Corby Distillery Limited. Corby Sr. came to Belleville from England in 1832. Throughout his life he promoted this grow- ing municipality of Belleville enthusiastical- ly and in 1867, he became the mayor of Belleville. The next year, the senior Corby became a member of the first Ontario leg- islature formed following the Confederation. Before dying in October of 1882, the senior Corby sold the distillery to his son, who had already been heavily involved in running the business with his father. The overwhelming success of his busi- ness led Corby Jr. to become one of the most wealthy and influential residents in the city, a position which he exercised fur- ther by joining, first, local politics as a Conservative Member of Parliament for West Hastings, which subsequently led to his appointment as a senator in 1888. Having expanded the family business, Corby Jr. became actively involved in many local organizations and undertook several large community projects. In 1905, the Corbys donated the use of the park, Corby Rose Garden, located till today between William and Ann streets in Belleville's East Hill. Three years later in 1908, he and his wife presented what was previously the Merchants' Bank property and building to the City of Belleville after having it reno- vated to serve as a public library. The Corbys accompanied their gift with further donation of an annual endowment. Next, they turned their attention to creating a recreational public baths and pavilion for the local youth at Victoria Park and devel-