Percy Osborne
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Percy Osborne was born in 1899 at Nottingham, he was the youngest son of Samuel a lace maker and Elizabeth Osborne née Stapleton.
His father Samuel was born in 1860 at Basford, his mother Elizabeh Stapleton was born in 1862 at Basford, they were married on 21st May 1881 at St Leodegarius Church Basford, they went on to have 9 children, sadly two were to die in infancy or early childhood.
In 1891 Samuel and Elizabeth and four children, Harry (9), Edith (6), Ethel (4) and Leonard (3 months), lived at 43 Constance Street Basford. By 1901, they were living at 23 Wallen Street, Radford, and there were seven children in the family including Percy who was two years old. They were still at the same address in 1911. The census records that Samuel and Elizabeth had been married for 19 years and had had 9 children born alive of whom only seven were living. The two eldest children, Harry and Edith, were not in the household and may by then have been married (see obituary), but their five other children were still at home: Ethel (20), Leonard (20), May (17), Elsie (14) and Percy (12).
Able Seaman Percy Osborne served with the Royal Naval Voluntee Reserve, he was serving on board the SS Baron Ailsa when it was sunk on 9th May 1918, by UB 72, his body was never recoverd, his name is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
SS Baron Ailsa was a collier built 1912 for Hugh Hogarth & Sons, and on hire to the Royal Navy. On 9 May 1918 she was torpedoed and sunk by UB-72 (Friedrich Trager) off the Pembroke coast (18 miles WNW Smalls) with the loss of 10 lives. UB-72 was sunk several days later. Percy's body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.
Nottingham Evening Post obituary (abridged), 18 May 1918: 'OSBORNE, lost at sea May 9th on SS Baron Ailsa, Percy Osborne, RNVR age 19, youngest son of Samuel and Elizabeth Osborne, father, mother, sisters, brothers, brother Harry and wife (-), sister Edith and brother-in-law Jack.'
In memoriam published 9th May 1919 in the Nottingham Evening Post :-
“OSBORNE. – In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Percy Osborne, R.N.V.R., lost at sea May 9th, 1918. We have lost one whom we loved, we like others must be brave, for we know that he is lying in a British sailor's grave. – Sorrowing mother, father, sisters, and brothers.
“OSBORNE. – In loving memory of our dear chum, Percy Osborne, S.G., lost at sea by enemy action May 9th, 1918. Ever remembered. – Claude and Harry.
“OSBORNE. – In loving memory of dear brother Percy, who lost his life at sea May 9th, 1918. Ever in our thoughts. – Len and Mabel.”
Above are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
Photo of Percy Osborne
Plymouth Naval Memorial