Thompson, T. Phillips

Labor and social reforms in Canada were championed by several advocates, notably Thomas Phillips Thompson. Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, November 25, 1843, he was reared on Quaker traditions that would later influence his reform efforts. His family emigrated to Canada in 1857 when Thomas was 14 years old, settling in St. Catherines. He graduated with a law degree in 1865 and became a member of the Ontario Bar Association as a solicitor; however, he never actually practiced law, instead his interests soon turned to journalism.

Thompson’s first foray into writing was for the local St. Catherine’s Post, but he quickly advanced to the more prestigious Toronto Daily Telegraph as a police reporter. By 1870 he had again moved on to the Toronto Mail and ...