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Remembered Today:

Osborne's memorials catalogue


spoons

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By an amazing stroke of luck, I was chatting to a visitor at work, the subject of memorials came up and he said he had 2 catalogues of Osborne's, a London firm who made memorials. He kindly photographed the 2 catalogues and sent me high res images in full.

There are approximately 110 memorials, of which the majority are Great War Memorials but there is no location in the text, just what is on the memorials 'to the men of this parish' etc.

The amount of detail in the pics means you have to zoom in to see it all and therefore reducing the images to post on the forum may give some problems. I will see how I can best put these into the public domain at sometime in the future.

I am having some luck in identifying memorials but I thought that I would post the odd tricky one here because I know how forum members like a challenge. :D

My first one I am stuck on is this individual memorial to Francis H Taylor died 7 Oct 1916. CWGC states "Son of Alfred Percival and Mary Taylor, of 66, Shortmead St., Biggleswade, Beds." By the way, is it odd for a schoolmaster not to be an officer? Now the question is, where is (or was) Alma Road Boys school. Is it the one that was in Bournemouth (found via google) or is this memorial actually UKNIWM 38927 for Ponders End (that would seem to tie in with him serving in the Middlesex Regt) the problem with that is that I don't think the latter was a boys school. Or is it somewhere else entirely?

Does the memorial still exist? If so, where is it?

I am trying to find what I can about these memorials before I hand over all the photos and info to UKNIWM.

\Spoons

post-16685-1205084518.jpg

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No feedback on the first one, perhaps this is a little easier. I think the memorial is from some sort of institution in Bermondsey (London), but what institution? does the memorial still exist? Where is it now?

\Spoons

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Do you have any details in your catalogue of the St James School Memorial that is located at Sutton Cheshire?

It shows the manufacturer as F Osborne & Co LONDON on the bottom r.h.s. ( Not visible on the image )

Is was designed by Charles F Tunncliffe an old boy of the school and a student at the Royal Academy. He later became a very famous wildlife artist of great repute.

Regards,

Steve

post-1516-1205169736.jpg

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I'm afraid the St James school memorial is not listed. The first page of the catalogue says "designs by Herbert Wauthier and Sidney Hunt" so I guess it was also to promote their own design service.

\Spoons

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I'm afraid the St James school memorial is not listed. The first page of the catalogue says "designs by Herbert Wauthier and Sidney Hunt" so I guess it was also to promote their own design service.

\Spoons

A little bit of further history about the company I obtained from the I.W.M. Trust. F. Osborne & Co. Ltd

Est. 1874

c 1895-97 Mrs Frances Elizabeth Osborne, heraldic engraver, 27 Castle Street East, London W

c 1901 Francis Osborne, engraver 27 Castle Street East, W

c 1903 Frank Osborne, engraver 27 Castle Street East, W

c 1906 Frank Osborne & Co., gold piercers, 27 Castle Street

East, W

c 1913-18 F Osborne & Co. Ltd, engravers 27 Castle St East,W(1) *

c 1923-35 27 Eastcastle St, Oxford St, W1

c 1936-66 117 Gower St, WC1

c 1967-70 147 Victoria St, SW1

c 1971-72 7 Knights Chambers, The South Mall N9

c 1973-74 285 Green Lanes, N13

* street name changed 12 Nov. 1918

Company No. 105713, recognized by a website associated with Companies House Aug. 2007, but no report, which suggests that the company has been wound up.

c 1953 the firm is said to be in association with Wauthier Osborne Guild Ltd (Crockford 1953-54)

c 1972-87 285 Green Lanes, N13 4XS, church plate manufacturers.

(not 1988: this may be because the directory changed its character)

It is possible that the Green Lanes address was the workshop and the central London addresses showrooms.The F Osborne firm appears to have begun as engravers, and diversified so that c 1936 they were artist craftsmen in metal wood and silver (ecclesiatical and architectural) church metal workers, memorial brass abd general engravers, etc. Latterly, they were described as church plate manufacturers, as was Wauthier Osborne Guild.

Sources: Crockford's Clerical Directory

Kelly's Post Office London Directory

Richard Graham 8 Aug. 2007

Hope this is of some use,

Steve

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That's some fascinating background about Osbornes, thanks very much for posting it. I will get around to posting some of the text from the catalogue on this thread. For now though I have another puzzle. I have identified the man on this memorial, but not much info on CWGC but he was an officer so that should help. Anyone know anything more about him? Home town? Where the church might be? Needless to say, this memorial is not listed on UKNIWM.

Name: HARPER

Initials: F H

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment/Service: Royal Engineers

Unit Text: 11th Field Coy.

Date of Death: 20/04/1918

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: III. E. 9.

Cemetery: HARINGHE (BANDAGHEM) MILITARY CEMETERY

\Spoons

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  • 3 years later...

By an amazing stroke of luck, I was chatting to a visitor at work, the subject of memorials came up and he said he had 2 catalogues of Osborne's, a London firm who made memorials. He kindly photographed the 2 catalogues and sent me high res images in full.

There are approximately 110 memorials, of which the majority are Great War Memorials but there is no location in the text, just what is on the memorials 'to the men of this parish' etc.

The amount of detail in the pics means you have to zoom in to see it all and therefore reducing the images to post on the forum may give some problems. I will see how I can best put these into the public domain at sometime in the future.

I am having some luck in identifying memorials but I thought that I would post the odd tricky one here because I know how forum members like a challenge. biggrin.gif

My first one I am stuck on is this individual memorial to Francis H Taylor died 7 Oct 1916. CWGC states "Son of Alfred Percival and Mary Taylor, of 66, Shortmead St., Biggleswade, Beds." By the way, is it odd for a schoolmaster not to be an officer? Now the question is, where is (or was) Alma Road Boys school. Is it the one that was in Bournemouth (found via google) or is this memorial actually UKNIWM 38927 for Ponders End (that would seem to tie in with him serving in the Middlesex Regt) the problem with that is that I don't think the latter was a boys school. Or is it somewhere else entirely?

Does the memorial still exist? If so, where is it?

I am trying to find what I can about these memorials before I hand over all the photos and info to UKNIWM.

\Spoons

I think this will resolve your Alma Road School question

http://www.wintonfor...insterswar.html

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  • 1 year later...

I am an Assistant Priest at St Peter's Walworth Liverpool Grove London se17. On the 3rd August 1919 we had a memorial erected to the memory of those from the Parish who fought and died in the Great War. Some 30 or more years ago the memorial disappeared, believed stolen. The only detail we have of the Memorial is listed in an old Parish magazine, is that it was made by F Osborne & Co Ltd, and is described as a bronze tablet surmounted by a crucifix. In this year which marks the Centenary of the out break of the Great War, we would be keen to try to get the Memorial replaced, but we can't do this with out the details of the names of the Fallen. With this in mind, I wondered if there was anything detailed in the Osborne's Memorial catalogue. I have seen a picture of the Memorial, unfortunately not a clear one, but the design can be clearly seen. I would be very grateful for any help you could give. Many thanks, Fr. Alan

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