William Carroll was born in Manchester. He was apprenticed to John Osborne Snr and rode his first winner on Emily Ann, carrying just 4 stone, at Newmarket on October 29, 1850.
He rode 44 winners in 1852 including the great Metropolitan Handicap on Stilton. He won the Great Met again the following year on Gadabout.
He became seriously ill in the spring of 1854 but carried on riding as well as ever.
Sadly, he died “very poor” at Irlam, near Manchester, in September 1856, aged only 22. He was buried at Every Street Chapel in Manchester. Trainers Tom Parr and John Osborne Snr paid for his funeral, which was well attended.
Although he was born in the same city and in the same era as fellow jockey Charles Carroll and, like Charles, served his apprenticeship with John Osborne Snr, the two men were not related.
