The Osborn Family

Constance Maude Louisa (Osborn) Smyth

Birth: 11 July 1867, in Bangalore, Madras, India

Baptism: 21 August 1867, in Bangalore, Madras, India

Father: William Osborn

Mother: Katharine Louisa (Kensington) Osborn

Married: George Watson Smyth on 2 June 1894, in Richmond, Surrey, England. George is recorded as aged 27, the son of George Watson Smyth, and Constance is recorded as aged 26, the daughter of William Osborn.

Death: 1925, in Fulham district, London, England, aged 57

Census:
1881: 41 & 43 Belsize Park Gardens, London

Sources:

Gertrude Mabel (Osborn) Donaldson

Birth: 8 August 1868, in Bangalore, Madras, India
The Times of India 20 August 1868
August 8th at Bangalore the wife of Major W Osborn Madras Staff Corps of a daughter

Baptism: 9 November 1868, in Bangalore, Madras, India

Father: William Osborn

Mother: Katharine Louisa (Kensington) Osborn

Portrait of a gentleman, probably James Henry Donaldson, with a glass of wine, by Robert Polhill Bevan
Portrait of a gentleman, probably James Henry Donaldson, with a glass of wine, by Robert Polhill Bevan
image from Christies
Shat-al_Arab
Shat-al-Arab, attributed to James Henry Donaldson
image from artvalue.com
Married: James Henry Donaldson on 11 December 1889, in Westminster district, London, England. James was born in 1862/3, in Scotland, and in 1901 his occupation is listed as "Artist Palmer", perhaps really "Artist Painter". James was likely the James Henry Donaldson to whom is attributed this painting of Shat-al-Arab, and also the man assumed to be the subject in the painting by Robert Polhill Bevan usually described as "Portrait of a gentleman, probably James Henry Donaldson, with a glass of wine". James, Robert Bevan and Eric Forbes-Robertson spent time together in 1890-91, at Villa Julia in Pont-Aven, Brittany, France.

Census & Addresses:
1881: 41 & 43 Belsize Park Gardens, London
1901: Witley, Surrey: Gertrude M Donaldson, aged 32, born India, British Subject
1911: Hambledon, Surrey: Gertrude Mabel Donaldson, aged 42

Sources:

Katharine Fanny Osborn

Birth: 18 May 1870, in Bangalore, Madras, India
The Times of India 27 May 1870
May 18th at Bangalore the wife of Major W Osborn Madras Staff Corps of a daughter

Baptism: 24 June 1870, in Bangalore, Madras, India

Father: William Osborn

Mother: Katharine Louisa (Kensington) Osborn

Death: 12 March 1873, at Beypore, Madras, India
The Times of India 18 March 1873
March 12th at Beypoor Fanny daughter of Major W Osborn MSC aged 2 years

Sources:

Violet Osborn

Birth: 29 July 1875, in Kensington district, London, England

Father: William Osborn

Mother: Katharine Louisa (Kensington) Osborn

Death: 31 August 1875, in Kensington district, London, England, aged 0

Buried: Kensal Green cemetery, London, England

Sources:

William Osborn

Birth: 29 January 1832

Baptism: 29 June 1832, in St. George, Ramsgate, Kent, England

Father: John Osborn

Mother: Alicia Hill

Married: Katharine Louisa Kensington on 27 September 1866, in St Stephens Church, Ootacamund, Madras, India. William is listed as aged 34, the son of John Osborn. Katharine is listed as aged 21, the daughter of Charles Kensington. William was a captain in the 30th Regiment of the Madras Native Infantry.
The Times of India 10 October 1866
Sept 27th at St Stephen's Church Ootacamund, by the Venerable Archdeacon Dealtry, Captain William Osborn, 30th Regt MNI to Katharine Louisa, daughter of the late Lieut Charles Kensington, 14th Regt Madras NI    

William and Katharine were divorced on 31 July 1878.

Children:
Occupation: Army Officer (Indian Army), in the 30th Madras Native Infantry, and Madras Staff Corps.
William was commissioned as Second Lieutenant on 10 June 1848 and served in the Burmese War in 1852-53, for which he received a medal (Army List 1887 p491). He was promoted to Lieutenant on 15 November 1853, to Brevet Captain on 18 February 1861, Captain in the 30th Native Infantry on 14 November 1863 (London Gazette 5 August 1864 p3876), taking rank from 18 February 1861 (London Gazette 28 March 1865 p1749). On 12 September 1866, William transferred to the Madras Staff Corps (London Gazette 21 June 1867 p3480). On 12 October 1867, William was appointed Barrack Master, 1st Class, in Bangalore on the Madras Staff Corps (Army List 1873 p486). William was promoted to Major on 10 June 1868 (London Gazette 15 December 1868 p6658), to Lieutenant-Colonel on 10 June 1874 (Army List 1887 p20), and to Colonel on 10 June 1879 (London Gazette 26 September 1879 p5652). He was appointed Commandant of the 9th Madras Native Infantry on 12 December 1879 (Army List 1880 p497), and transferred as Commandant to the 6th Madras Native Infantry on 11 October 1880 (Army List 1882 p496). William was placed on furlough by 1883 and then on sick furlough (Army List 1885 p497). William was promoted to Major-General in the Indian Staff Corps on 9 January 1889 (Army List 1892 p405), and to Lieutenant-General on 10 December 1892 (London Gazette 26 December 1892 p7642). He was transferred to the Unemployed Supernumerary List on 10 June 1893 (London Gazette 7 July 1893 p3845).

Sources:

William Lushington Osborn

Birth: 30 July 1871, in Bangalore, Madras, India
The Times of India 5 August 1871
July 30th at Bangalore the wife of Major W Osborn MSC of a son

Baptism: 1 September 1871, in Bangalore, Madras, India

Father: William Osborn

Mother: Katharine Louisa (Kensington) Osborn

Education: Kipling-Stalky United Services College, Westward Ho, and at Sandhurst

Married: Ethel Marion (Elgee) Cardew on 27 February 1900, in Sialkot, Bengal, India. William is recorded as single, the son of William Osborn, and Ethel is recorded as widowed, the daughter of Charles Elgin. Ethel was born in 1875, in Aldershot, Hampshire, the daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Elgee. Ethel had previously married George Schuyler Cardew on 20 August 1896, in Dover, Kent. In that marriage, Ethel is recorded as aged 21, the daughter of Charles Elgee. George Cardew, a Surgeon-Major in the Royal Army Medical Corps, died at Murree, India, on 17 August 1898.

Occupation: Army Officer. William was decorated C.B., D.S.O., C.M.G. and reached the rank of Brigadier-Geneal.
William entered the Royal Sussex Regiment on 28 November 1890 (London Gazette 28 November 1890 p6698) and served with the 2nd Battalion in India., and promoted to Lieutenant on 10 Febriary 1892 (Army List 1895). He served in the Tirah Campaign, 1897–98 (medal and two clasps). William was promoted to Captain on 22 March 1899 (London Gazette 4 April 1899 p2228) and served as Adjutant of the 2nd Battalion from 4 September 1899 (London Gazette 5 September 1899 p5521) until 1903. William then joined the 1st Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment, and served with them in India between 1904-1910. He participated in the Thibet Mission Force in 1904 (medal) and was Brigade-Major of the Sirhind Brigade in Punjab, India from 1905 until 1909. William was promoted to Major on 13 July 1910 (London Gazette 12 July 1910 p4958). He was appointed to command the Depôt in Chichester in July 1910, but in August 1914 he was promoted to temporary Lieutenant-Colonel with the responsibility for raising and training the 7th Battalion, the first 'New Army' battalion of The Royal Sussex Regiment. He commanded the new battalion in France from May 1915, and in July 1916 he was promoted to temporary Brigadier-General in command of the 16th Infantry Brigade of the 6th Division., then the 192nd Infantry Brigade from 1917 to 1918. During the War, William was mentioned in dispatches six times and decorated with C.B., D.S.O., C.M.G., and the Order of Danilo 3rd Class.
William was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on 15 April 1916 (London Gazette 14 April 1916 p3938):
His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the appointment of the undermentioned Officers to be Companions of the Distinguished Service Order, in recognition of their gallantry and devotion to duty in the field:-
Major (temporary Lieutenant-Colonel) William Lushington Osborn, The Royal Sussex Regiment, Commanding 7th Battalion.
  For conspicuous ability in the performance of his duties. The excellent training of his Battalion and the careful attention paid to all details of organisation of defence, ensured that the captured position he took over on relief was securely held, in spite of constant counter-attacks. He showed great initiative in launching counter-attacks.
The Order of Danilo, 3rd Class, was conferred on William by the King of Montenegro on 31 October 1916 (London Gazette 9 March 1917 p2448). His appointment as a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (C.M.G.) came on 16 April 1918 (National Archives RSR/MSS/9/25), and Companion of the Order of Bath (C.B.) on 1 January 1919 (London Gazette 31 December 1918 p2).
William commanded the 5th Infantry Brigade of the 2nd Division in France and Germany in 1918-1919, and was wounded on 5 October 1918 (The Western Front Association). In May 1919 he was posted as Lieutenant-Colonel to the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment. He was made Substantive Colonel in 1920 and retired in 1921. In May 1926 William succeeded Major-General James Charles Young as Hon. Colonel of the Royal Sussex Regiment and retained that office until July 1941 when he was succeeded by Brigadier Richard Maule Birkett

Notes:
Who Was Who
Brig.-Gen. William Lushington OSBORN CB 1919; CMG 1917; DSO 1916
Born 30 July 1871; o s of late Lt-Gen. W. Osborn, Indian Army; m 1900, Ethel Marion, d of late General Charles Elgee, 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers; no c ; died 10 April 1951
Education: United Services Coll.; Westward Ho!; Sandhurst
Career: Entered Royal Sussex Regt in 1890; served Tirah Campaign, 1897–98 (medal and two clasps); Adj. 2nd Batt. 1899-1903; served in Thibet Mission Force, 1904 (medal); Brigade-Major, Sirhind Brigade, Punjab, India, 1905-09; 1st Batt. Royal Sussex Regt, India, till 1912; Commanding Depôt Chichester, 1912-14; served European War, 1915-18 (despatches six times, CB, DSO, CMG, Bt Lt-Col, Order of Danilo 3rd Class); Commanded 7th Batt. Royal Sussex Regt, 1914-16; Temp. Brig.-General, 16th Infantry Brigade, 1916-17; 192nd Infantry Brigade, 1917-18; 5th Infantry Brigade, 1918-19; Lt-Col 2nd Batt. Royal Sussex Regt, 1919; Substantive Colonel, 1920; retired pay, 1921; Hon. Col Royal Sussex Regt, 1926-41; Hon. Col 4th Bn Royal Sussex Regt, 1926-47
Address: Chichester, Sussex

Death: 10 April 1951

Census:
1881: Clarence Rd 3 Highland Terrace, South Bersted, Sussex

Sources:
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