Sir Edward Osborne

Sir Edward Osborne was one of the principal merchants of London in the later 16th century, who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1583.

Around 1544 the young Edward was apprenticed to William Hewett, a prominent clothwork merchant and Lord Mayor, and joined the Worshipful Company of Clothworkers. According to a romantic legend based on a true event, his master’s infant daughter Anne was dropped by a careless nurse from an apartment of London Bridge into the current below, and Osborne saved her from drowning. Later, he married Anne the sole heir of Hewett’s fortune. The story of the rescue and their courtship was first published in 1720 by John Strype “Sir William was pleased to say, Osborne saved her, and Osborne should have her”. However, Anne died relatively soon in 1585.

Through marriage, Osborne inherited the business and estate at Barking in Essex, together with lands in the parishes of Wales and Harthill in Yorkshire. He performed the function of a steward and warden of the Clothworkers’ Company in 1565 and 1569. Osborne was also reputed as a prominent merchant and financial agent trading with Spain and Portugal and exporting cloth to the Baltic lands. Besides, he was one of the founders of the Levant Company or the Company of Turkey merchants which received its first charter in 1582 from Queen Elizabeth. The main company’s imports were spices, perfumes and currants, while, at the same time, it exported mainly cloth.

Osborne became Sheriff of the City of London in 1575, and was chosen Lord Mayor in 1583, the same year when he was knighted.

He died in 1591 and was buried at St. Dionis Backchurch.