Osborn, Joseph, Master Mariner, 1823-1908.

The collection consists of eleven log books, the first of which was written by Osborn as a mate, with the rest by him as master. Ranging from 1853 to 1875, they span most of Osborn's career at sea. As well as containing the standard information one would expect, such as bearings, weather details, and journal entries; the logs also contain nearly one hundred drawings in ink, pencil and watercolour, showing various ships, coastline profiles, seabirds, etc.

Administrative / biographical background
Osborn was born at Allonby, Cumberland, in 1823. He first went to sea as an apprentice on the barque PANDORA of Liverpool in the West Indies trade. He had eleven years of experience in the coasting and foreign trades by 1851 (certificate number 44935) and he formally qualified as master under the new system in the following year (certificate number 6828). Thereafter he had a long period of employment as master of the barque RECORDER up to 1862. He was master of the barque PEARL OF INDIA between 1864 and 1869, during which there was a period of eight months on government service, carrying supplies for the punitive expedition launched by Britain against Emperor Tewodros II of Abyssinia. Osborn retired from the sea in 1875 and spent the next eight years overseeing the building and fitting of Liverpool ships. He died in 1908 and was buried with other members of his family in the churchyard at Christ Church, Allonby.