Here is a photograph from the January 23 1936 edition of the Toronto Daily Star of a man who had just been elected president of the Brewers Warehousing Company Limited.
James F. Cosgrave was from a multi-generational family of brewers: his ancestor, Patrick Cosgrave, purchased the Thompson Brewery in 1865 and renamed it. His sons joined the family business in the 1870s and the business continued on from there.
The 1936 Toronto city directory lists the Cosgrave Export Brewery Company Limited with James F. Cosgrave as its president. Going forward in five-year intervals:
- In 1941, Mr. Cosgrave was president of Cosgrave’s Dominion Brewery, as his company had merged with Dominion Brewery.
- In 1946, he was president of the O’Keefe Brewing Company as the result of another merger.
- The 1951 and 1956 directories list him with no occupation – presumably, he had retired.
- The 1961 directory lists his widow, Kathleen.
Toronto Old News 