LIBRARY LINE: Doctor Collip event at the library
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Did you know that Belleville has been host to many famous Canadians throughout history? Keep reading to find out more about some of the great Canadians that have lived in, or came from Belleville!
Arguably one of the most underappreciated greats that came from Belleville is Dr. James B. Collip. It’s not surprising if you haven’t heard of him. Dr. Collip worked with the team of Banting, Best, and MacLeod to discover the lifesaving medication, insulin. Unfortunately, most people only talk about Banting and Best when they discuss the discovery of insulin, but Dr. Collip played just as important of a role. Without him, insulin would not have been purified and thus able to be adequately absorbed by patients.
Dr. Collip was born in Belleville on Nov. 20, 1892. To celebrate his achievements in medicine, Belleville Public Library will be hosting a Birthday Bash for Dr. Collip on Wed. Nov. 20 at 6:30 p.m. A film clip from local Filmmaker, Sean Scally, will kick off the evening followed by a short film, “The Quest” about Dr. Collip and the discovery of insulin. Come for some birthday cake, and enter a draw to win fantastic prizes! This event is free and requires no registration, and was made possible through the generous support of Tipper Financial Services, LTD.
Dr. Collip is not the only famous resident of Belleville. Farley Mowat, the prolific Canadian author, was born in Belleville in 1921, and has a very personal connection to the Belleville Public Library. His father, Angus Mowat, was the head librarian here from 1928-1930. If you’re interested in his books, including Never Cry Wolf, Lost in the Barrens, and more, we have an extensive Farley Mowat collection both on reference and for circulation. We also have several Mowat autobiographies including, Born Naked, an account of Mowat’s early life, and My Father’s Son: Memories of War and Peace. In the latter title, Mowat explores his time in World War II through letters to his parents. All of these titles are great ways to explore the life and works of one of Canada’s great authors.
You might also be familiar with Susanna Moodie. She was a pioneer author who settled in Belleville after immigrating to Canada from Great Britain in 1840 when her husband became sheriff of Hastings. The Susanna Moodie cottage is located on Bridge St. West, and if you’re looking for her writings, they’re located here at the Library! You will find Life in the Clearings, discussing life in early Belleville in the mid-nineteenth century. You will also find her earlier work, Roughing it in the Bush, where Moodie discusses pioneer life
in the 1830s. Both books provide wonderful insight into early-Ontario life, and are key works in the Susanna Moodie catalogue.
If you’re looking for more accounts of Belleville greatness, you can always check out our database of digitized local history materials, Belleville History Alive. Here you will find newspaper articles about notable locals, as well as city directories, postcards of Belleville, and much more. It is a great resource for anyone interested in Belleville’s history and can be accessed anywhere with an Internet connection. To check it out, just visit the eBooks and eResources tab on our website.
If you would like information about the Dr. Collip event or any of the resources listed here, please call Information Services at 613-968-6731 x2037.
Virginia Sytsma is the Information Services Librarian for Belleville Public Library and John M. Parrott Art Gallery
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