I lived here 50 years ago. How cool is that?

Known as “The Birthplace of Insulin”, 442 Adelaide St. N. in London, Ontario is the house where Sir Frederick Banting woke up at two o’clock on the morning of October 31, 1920 with the idea that led to the discovery of insulin. Banting lived at this location for ten months, beginning in July 1920, and attempted a private medical practice before returning to Toronto to begin his research on insulin in the spring of 1921.

Today Banting House National Historic Site of Canada is home to the London branch of the Canadian Diabetes Association and a museum dedicated to the life of Sir Frederick Banting. The house was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1997.^[1][2]

The museum features exhibits dedicated to Banting as co-discoverer of insulin, doctor, war hero, and artist. Notable artifacts include Banting’s bed-frame where he woke up with his historic idea, numerous medals including Banting’s Memorial Cross, knighthood, and a replica of his Nobel Prize, and an impressive collection of original artwork by Banting.

 

Yesterday I decided to ask my daughter in law to go to London with me, as I was wanting to hit a couple books stores in hopes of having them carry my book. But my first stop was to show Linda where I lived when I was going to hairdressing school. She was pleasently surprised when she saw it was the Banting House. I had a room, a very small room in the basement. It was a girls boarding house at the time. Our landlord was known to us as Aunt J. The people running the museum were very interested in the stories of my living there, and it was a delight to walk down memory lane for me. All of this is in my book A Hairdresser’s Diary so I donated a copy to their library. WOW and to think I lived there.