William Osborne (fl. 1726? – 1737?)

OSBORNE (WILLIAM), printer in London, the Minories, 1732. On April 14th, 1732, the postmaster at Greenwich wrote to Charles Delafaye: "The enclosed is a ballad sung in Greenwich yesterday, though I believe I ahve spoyl'd his singing for the preseent, haveing committed him to the House of Correction. I find Osborne the printer of them is just sett up in ye minories and his principall buisnes [sic] is to print such low, seditious stuff. ... P.S. I am told the printer prints some affaires for the Custom House." [S. P. Dom. George II, Bundle 26, 65.] Being examined on May 19th, the printer confessed that he had sold the ballad of The Forlorn Lover and also had printed and sold one entitled Britain's Joy for the return of the Duke of Ormond, and added that this was also printed by Larkin, now a printer in Petticoat Lane, Whitechapel. [Ib., Bundle 26, 74.]