Will Osborn, as he was known, was born in St Pancras, London, the eldest son of Edward M and Augusta K Osborn.  His father was an Inspector of Factories for HM government.

The artist was an early member of St Ives Arts Club and appears in the Arts Club photograph (The Studio). His address in 1894 was in Manchester, but he lived and worked in St Ives from The Terrace in 1895-6 (possibly longer), and was known to barter art works for food and lodging. In 1896 he married the artist Dorothy WORDEN, who he may have met in St Ives. She had been a member of the St Ives Arts Club since 1893, and had been exhibiting locally and in Falmouth. The couple married in Exeter, and his exhibiting address from approximately 1898 was in Exmouth. Paintings also indicate that aside from London, the artist also spent some working time in Ludlow, Shropshire.

In 1906, after suffering some time with facial neuralgia (an extremely painful condition) thought at the time to stem from dental problems, Will died in Chelsea, perhaps as a result of over-dosing on pain relief medications.