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James Osborne, engraver

A

Alex Ramsay

New Member
Hi - I'm new to the Birmingham History Forum, but I hope someone may be able to help. I have been lent a small portfolio containing the work of one James Osborne, an engraver in Great Charles Street during the first half of the nineteenth century. He appears to have been a printer of business cards and commercial flyers, and he or his son may also have been an engraver of firearms. The work is of a very high standard, and I have been asked by an arts magazine to write a feature about him. Does anyone here know anything about him or his trade? Could anyone suggest where I might look? - I am new to this kind of research. I should be very grateful for any helpful suggestions.

Thanks,
Alex Ramsay
 
Not sure exactly when exactly you are referring to, but there are the following directory listings :
No listings in 1815,1818 or 1823
1830 Osborne and Henshaw, engravers and copper plate printers, 77, Gt. Charles-st.
1833 J.Osborne, engraver, 39 Livery St
1839 Joseph Osborne, engraver & printer, 38 Livery St
1841 Joseph Osborne, engraver, Great Charles St,
1845 Osborne Joseph, engraver & printer & manufacturer of silver plate & british plate ware, 83½ Great Charles St. & 22 Albion St.
By 1849 edition Joseph has moved to 9 Edmund St.
Early directories around this time were sometimes a little inaccurate as to exact date.

(According to Aris' Birmingham gazette of 4.8.1828 the partnership of William Hall & Joseph Osborne , engravers & printers, was broken up at that date)

There is also listed a James Osborne , gunsmith, in Bagot St in 1845 and 1849, and so your mention of firearms may be referring to a different person.

sorry this is not very helpful as to James, but presumably James & Joseph were associated
 
The 1851 census lists Joseph Osborne a copper plate engraver and printer. There is a son James aged 21 also an engraver. The address is 9 Edmund Street but that could just be home rather than work. By 1861 James is is married but I struggled to read the entry. In 1871 he is listed as a gun engraver and living in Berner Street. In 1881 the address is the same and he is described as a general engraver. I can't ee him on the 1891 census but in 1901 he is a gun engraver still in Berners Street but the number is different.
Joseph died in 1862 and his son James is listed as a executor (James address is Laurel Place Berner Street). I haven't found a definite death for James but there is a possible death registered in 1904.

Janice
 
hi janice i think they have missed out the letter s....think it must be berners st rather than berner...a map of the street may show up laurel place if mike could help with that...berners st ran from lozells road right down to farm st...

lyn
 
He's at 201 Berners St in 1891, a widower with 2 sons and 2 daughters.

There are a couple of James Osbornes born about the same time and as well as the death in 1904 there's one in 1901 as well.
 
J Osborne is still living at the same place in the 1884 Directory, which is just after the last renumbering, and then it is just listed as 201 Berners St. this is shown on the c 1890 map below in red. Unfortunately , it has now been replaced by modern houses,

map_c_1890_showing_201_Berners_St.jpg
 
james is still at 201 berners st on the 1901 census...he could have known my gt gt grandmother who was at no 179 luckily her house is still there

lyn
 
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