Da Costa's full name was John Henry Alphonse Frederick Francis Da Costa.  He was born at Teignmouth, Devon (28 December 1866 GRO), and listed as a Newlyn resident in the 1891 Census as living at Cliff Castle Cottage in Belle Vue (1896), the address from which he sent-in to the RA and Manchester. This was the house of Henry and Elizabeth Maddern, where many artists lodged before.

With him in 1891 are recorded Mary Josephine Da Costa, a widow (possibly mother) from Metz, Germany, and Oscar M J Da Costa of the 21st Hussars from St Helier, Jersey. John is listed as a Fine Arts Student from Teignmouth, Devon. He exhibited with the Cornish painters at Dowdeswells in 1890, with Beg, Sir and with A Pastoral at Nottingham Castle in 1894. His sales record at NAG is sparse, showing the sale of only one work, A Study.  [All of these catalogues are reprinted in Hardie (2009).]

By 1897 Da Costa is mentioned by Norman GARSTIN in his article in the Studio 'as being no longer among us' and bemoaning the fact. From Newlyn he moved to London, later to Oxfordshire, and then to various addresses in Kensington and Chelsea.  By 1904 he was running his own art school classes in Kensington, London (Studio), with the help of his Newlyn friend Phil Whiting.  The artist died in London on 26 May, 1931, age 64 (GRO).