Robert Durie Osborn facts for kids

Robert Durie Osborn (born in 1835, died in 1889) was a British army officer. He was born in a city called Agra, India, on August 6, 1835. His father, Henry Roche Osborn, also worked for the British East India Company and was a soldier.

Robert Osborn's Army Life

Robert Osborn went to school at Dr. Greig's in Walthamstow. He joined the army as an ensign (a junior officer) in the 26th Bengal Native Infantry in 1854. He became a lieutenant in 1857.

He served during the Indian Mutiny campaign from 1857 to 1859. This was a big rebellion in India against British rule. Osborn was involved in several battles, including those at Boolundshuhur and Allyghur. He also led a group of soldiers from the 4th Punjab infantry in other actions.

Later, he worked with Colonel Troup in a region called Oude and fought in the action at Biswah. From January to May 1859, he was part of the Saugor field force. He also led a group of soldiers in the Ooraie district and defeated some rebels at Tudhoorkee. For his service, he received a medal.

Osborn was promoted to captain in 1865. He also worked as an adjutant (an officer who helps with administration) for a Sikh cavalry regiment. This regiment later became the 12th regiment of Bengal cavalry. He was a captain in his regiment until 1872.

In 1872, he became a tutor for young people known as the Paikharah wards. He was promoted to major in 1873. He retired from the army in 1879 with the special rank of lieutenant-colonel. He also served in the Second Anglo-Afghan War that year, but he retired after a peace treaty was signed.

His Books and Beliefs

Osborn was a very thoughtful person who cared a lot about religion and politics. When he was young, he was friends with famous thinkers like F. D. Maurice and Charles Kingsley. He sometimes wrote articles in magazines about Maurice's religious ideas.

While he was in India, he spent 14 years carefully studying Eastern religions. This led him to write two important books: Islam under the Arabs (1876) and Islam under the Khalifs of Baghdad (1877). These books are still highly respected by people who study these topics.

Osborn also strongly supported the rights of the native people of India. He was not happy with the policies of Lord Lytton, who was the Viceroy of India. Osborn believed these policies upset the Indian people and unnecessarily started the Second Anglo-Afghan War. His disagreement with these policies was a big reason why he retired from the army.

After returning from India, he lived in Hampstead, England. He spent most of his time writing for newspapers and magazines. He became the London reporter for the Calcutta Statesman, an Indian newspaper. He also helped run the London office of the Statesman, which tried to oppose Benjamin Disraeli's policies in India. He wrote many articles about India and the idea of popular government for Indian people in newspapers like The Scotsman, The Nation, and The Contemporary Review.

Life Outside the Army

Robert Osborn loved playing lawn tennis. He was very dedicated to the sport. He sadly died on Good Friday, April 19, 1889, while playing a tennis match. He was playing against Ernest Renshaw, who was a famous tennis champion, at a tennis court in Hyde Park, London in England.

He married Edith Rhodes in 1864 in Bayswater. They had two daughters together.

An oil portrait of Osborn was painted by Mr. J. R. Hodgson in 1877. It was shown in the Royal Academy, which is a famous art exhibition. The artist gave the painting to Osborn, and it later went to his family.

What He Wrote

Here are some of the books Robert Durie Osborn wrote:

• Friends of the Foreigner in the Nineteenth Century: a Critique, 1879
• Lawn Tennis: its Players and how to Play, 1881; a second edition came out in 1884.