Samuel Fordham Osborn

Date of birth on headstone 29 April 1895 but RN&RM War Graves Roll gives DOB as 30 April 1895. Samuel was the son of Thomas Charles Osborn and Susan Elizabeth Osborn nee Saxton. Thomas Charles Osborn was born in London in 1854 (A/M/J Whitechapel) and his wife Susan Elizabeth Saxton, daughter of William James Saxton, also in London in 1854 (J/F/M Shoreditch). They were married on 6 October 1877 at Hoxton St John, Hackney (1877 O/N/D Shoreditch). According to the 1911 Census which was completed by the widowed Thomas Charles, they had seven children who were all still living in 1911. Six children have been traced: Lillian (also 'Lilian') Susan b. 22 September 1878 (O/N/D Poplar), Isabella Agnes birth registered 1882 (J/F/M Biggleswade Bedfordshire) and baptised St Michael, Middlesex on 26 July 1882, Francis George b. Grantham 23 March 1885 (A/M/J Grantham), Esther Amelia b. East Markham 1890 (J/A/S East Retford), Ellen b. East Markham probably 1893 (O/N/D East Retford) and Samuel Fordham b. East Markham 29/30 April 1895 (A/M/J East Retford). In 1881 Thomas Charles (26), a railway porter, and Susan (27) were living on St Neot's Road, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, with their two year-old daughter Lilian. The family has not yet been traced on the 1891 Census, but by 1901 Thomas (46), working as a railway porter for the Great Northern Railway, and Susan (47) were living on Askham Road, East Markham. In the home on the night of the census were four of their children: Francis George (15), Esther A (10), Ellen (7) and Samuel Fordham (5). Also in the household was Thomas' mother-in-law, Esther Saxton (83). Lilian (22) was probably a general servant in the household of Ada McCorkendale of Forest Road, Nottingham. Samuel's mother died in 1908 (A/M/J East Retford) aged 54. At the time of the 1911 census the widowed Thomas Charles (56), was still living in East Markham and working as a porter for the Great Northern Railway. Only his two sons, Francis George (25) and Samuel Fordham (15) were in the home on the night of the census. Francis was a watchman for Lincoln Corporation and Samuel a weigh clerk for GNR. Ellen (17) was a domestic servant at 83 Firth Park Road, Pitsmoor, Sheffield, in the household of Frederick and Henrietta Knowles. Esther (20) may have been a parlour maid at 10 Oman Road, Hampstead in the household of Henry Pollock, a sales manager. At the time of Samuel's death in May 1916 his father was living at Bevercotes Road, Tuxford, Nottinghamshire. Thomas Charles died in 1934 (June East Retford) aged 79. Only five of Samuels six siblings have so far been traced; of his brother and four sisters: Lilian Susan married William Henry Gabbits in 1905 (O/N/D East Retford). In 1911 Susan (32) and William (b. 30 November 1876) were living at 54 Bridge Street, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, with their son Tomas Francis (1). They were still living in Worksop at the time of the 1939 England & Wales Register; William was described as retired ('sick') and Lilian was an office cleaner. Lilian died in 1971 (Dec Worksop) age 93. Isabella Agnes was traced through the baptism record of 1892 which records her parents as Thomas Charles Osborn, a railway porter, and Susan Elizabeth Osborn, who were then living in Bedfordshire. No other records relating to Isabella have yet been found. Francis George enlisted on 24 February 1915 at Mill Hill, London, and served in the Middlesex Regiment (290, CQMS) both at home and in France. At the time of enlistment he was 29 years 9 months old and working as a labourer. He named his father as his next of kin. He married Alice Annie Coates on 16 July 1918 at St Matthews Church, Kemp Town, Brighton; he gave his home address as Bevercotes Road, Tuxford, which was that of his father. Francis was discharged from the army on 31 March 1920 to his home address at 5 Rochester Street, Kemp Town, Brighton. In 1939 at the time of the England and Wales Register, Francis and Annie (b. 28 September 1891) were living at 59 Barcombe Road, Brighton, with their two daughters, Muriel G. (b. 17 March 1923) and Doris Elizabeth (b. 22 August 1929)who were both millinery saleswomen. Francis died in 1977 (Sep Brighton East Sussex) age 92. Esther Amelia may have married Edward Besent in 1912 (A/M/J Leighton Buzzard). Ellen has not yet been traced after 1911 when she was living in Sheffield.