Thomas M. Costello
From the Renfrew Mercury
03 April 1925
Mr. Thomas M. Costello, B.A. barrister, solicitor etc. of Renfrew is a Canadian of the second generation. He was born in this country, as were also his parent. Not only is Mr. Costello Canadian-born but he entered upon life’s stage in the county of Renfrew. Brudenell was the place of his nativity. There he attended public school, and in that institution began his long connection with athletics. There were frequent changes of teachers but the one he best remembers was Mr. J.E. McDonald, who afterward left the county and for a while held a principalship at Cornwall. There was a fifth class in Brudenell public school when Mr. Costello attended, and he got the first part of matriculation before leaving home.
His high school course was taken in Renfrew. From here he went to Ottawa University, where he took an arts course. After teaching for two years in Calabogie Public School Mr. Costello entered Osgoode Hall, Toronto, for the study of law, where he specialized in criminal law. Whether at public school, collegiate institute, university or Osgoode Hall, he shone at athletics, being a votary of lacrosse and baseball in summer, football in autumn and hockey in winter. He was captain of Ottawa University football team in 1906, in which year he had the honor of being picked as outside wing on the All-Star Canadian team. A 6-footer now and weighing 200 pounds, he gives evidence of what he was in an athletic way in his student days.
Called to the bar in 1912, Mr. Costello came to Renfrew and entered into partnership with the Hon. T. W. McCarthy, and subsequently he bought Mr. McCarthy’s interests and the office is now in his name only. In June, 1923, Mr. Costello was a candidate for a seat in the Legislature in the Conservative interest. There was a triangular contest. He was third in the running but only a few votes behind the second man, which he considered good for one late in entering. To him fell the honor of being the first Conservative to carry the town of Renfrew.
Mr. Costello is a busy man but finds time for the service of his fellows in the Rotary Club and as a member of the Hospital Board. He is president of the Renfrew hockey club. He holds membership in the Renfrew Poultry Association being one of the most enthusiastic members of that body. Aristocratic poultry is his hobby, albeit it is a hobby that must share a place with athletics. And of the matter of a hobby, books also have a place and Mr. Costello is building up a good library. Mention of books is a reminder that he is preparing himself for platform work in French, convinced that the men of Canada should have bilingual training.
Mr. Costello would develop a bigger and better Renfrew through the development of industries. He, being a Conservative, feels that a protective tariff would help in building up and fostering industries. With factories running full time and wages good there would, he says, be more money to go into the farmer’s pockets and a better home market would come.