Sir Edward Osborne, MP, Lord Mayor of London

In the reign of Elizabeth, many great-hearted citizens served the office of mayor. Again we shall see how little even the best monarchs of these days understood the word "liberty," and how the constant attacks upon their purses taught the London citizens to appreciate and to defend their rights. In 1559, Sir William Hewet (Clothworker) was mayor, whose income is estimated at £6,000 per annum. Hewet lived on London Bridge, and one day a nurse playing with his little daughter Anne, at one of the broad lattice windows overlooking the Thames, by accident let the child fall. A young apprentice, named Osborne, seeing the accident, leaped from a window into the fierce current below the arches, and saved the infant. Years after, many great courtiers, including the Earl of Shrewsbury, came courting fair Mistress Anne, the rich citizen's heiress. Sir William, her father, said to one and all, "No; Osborne saved her, and Osborne shall have her." And so Osborne did, and became a rich citizen and Lord Mayor in 1583. He is the direct ancestor of the first Duke of Leeds. There is a portrait of the brave apprentice at Kiveton House, in Yorkshire. He dwelt in Philpot Lane, in his father-in-law's house, and was buried at St. Dionis Backchurch, Fenchurch Street.

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/old-new-london/vol1/pp396-416

Osborne was the eldest son of Richard Osborne of Ashford, Kent, by his wife, Jane Broughton. In May 1547—although another account makes the date three years later—he was apprenticed to Sir William Hewett, clothworker, one of the principal merchants of London and lord mayor in 1559. His admission to the freedom of the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers is assigned to 8 May 1554, although it possibly took place in 1551. According to a romantic legend, which in its main feature may be accepted, Hewett's infant daughter was dropped by a careless nurse from an apartment on London Bridge into the current below. Young Osborne immediately leaped into the river and saved the child. The date of this event must have been about 1545, as the lady, who became Osborne's wife, was twenty-three years old at the time of her father's death in January 1566-7. Pictoral representations of Osborne's feat are preserved at Clothworker's Hall and at Hornby Castle, Yorkshire, the seat of the Duke of Leeds.

In his early days Osborne travelled, and probably resided much abroad, principally at Madrid, and in 1561 he was well known as a merchant and financial agent. On the death of his father-in-law, in 1566-7, Osborne acted as executor jointly with his wife, and succeeded to Hewett's extensive business, his mansion in Philpot Lane, and to the greater part of his estates.

Osborne was first married, in 1562, to Anne Hewett, then about eighteen years old, and her father's sole heiress. She brought him an estate in Barking, Essex, besides lands in Wales and Harthill in Yorkshire, and died at an early age, being buried at St. Martin Orgars on 14 July 1585. By her he had five children — viz. Alice, baptised in March 1562 – 1563; Hewett, afterwards knighted, born March 1566-7; Anne, born March 1570; Edward, born November 1572; and Jane, born November 1578. Osborne married, secondly (15 September 1588), Margaret Chapman of St. Olave's, Southwark, by whom he had no issue. She died in 1602 (having married, secondly, Robert Clark, a baron of the exchequer), and was buried beside her first husband in St. Dionis Backchurch.

Osborne's daughter Alice married Sir John Peyton, 1st Baronet in 1580. Osborne's grandson, Sir Edward Osborne, of Kiveton, Yorkshire, created a baronet 13 July 1620, was the son of Sir Hewett Osborne, and father of Sir Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds. A half-length portrait of Osborne in armour is in the possession of the Duke of Leeds. A copy of this portrait is in Clothworkers' Hall.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Osborne

Family and Education

b. ?1530, 1st s. of Richard Osborne of Ashford, Kent by Jane, da. of John or Richard Broughton of Broughton, Cumb. educ. travelled abroad 1554-62. m. (1) 1562, Anne (d.1585), da. and h. of Sir William Hewett of London, 2s. 3da.; (2) 15 Sept. 1588, Margaret Chapman of St. Olave’s, Southwark, s.p. suc. fa. 1584. Kntd. 2 Feb. 1584. d. 4 Feb. 1592, and was buried on 15 Feb. in St. Dionis Backchurch in London.

Biography

History of Parliament Online

Links

• wikipedia.org
• rotherhamweb.co.uk
• Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 42 Osborne, Edward by Charles Welch
• https://www.wikitree.com/photo.php/b/bb/Osborne-2620.jpg