Andrew Philip Kingsford Osmond (March 16, 1938 - April 14, 1999[1]) was a British diplomat, novelist and the original Lord Gnome,[1] one of the co-founders of Private Eye magazine in 1961.

Born in Barnoldby-le-Beck, Lincolnshire[2] 16 March 1938 son of Kingsford Osmond scion of a well-known Lincolnshire farming family. Educated at Harrow School and Brasenose College, Oxford (1961) Osmond joined the Foreign Office in 1962, being posted first to West Africa where he met Douglas Hurd, then subsequently Rome.

He gave Private Eye its name, but had sold the majority of his shares less than a year after its launch.[3] He returned to Private Eye as managing director[1] 1969-1973 when he increased sales by 160%

Published works

• Send him Victorious (1968) with Douglas Hurd[4]
• The Smile on the Face of the Tiger (1969) with Douglas Hurd[4]
• Scotch on the Rocks[5] (1971) with Douglas Hurd[4]
• Harris in Wonderland: By Philip Reid [2](pseudonym of Richard Ingrams and Andrew Osmond) 1973
• Saladin! (1975)[4]
• Plenty [6]

References