Sir Cuthbert Sharp (1781-1849), St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool

Mayor of Hartlepool

"Sir Cuthbert Sharp (1781–1849) was an English soldier, official and antiquary. The son of Cuthbert Sharp, shipowner and of Susannah (sister of Brass Crosby of Stockton on Tees who was Lord Mayor of London in 1791. Sharp was an English soldier, official, and shipbuilder. He was born at 113 High Street Hartlepool on 3rd June and was baptised in St Hilda’s Church, next door to his family home. He received his education at Greenwich under Charles Burney. There he formed a lasting friendship with Lord Lake and with Sir Edward Blakeney. When he was eighteen years old he served in Ireland during the rebellion as an officer in the fencible cavalry, a British regiment.

When his regiment was disbanded, Sharp went to Edinburgh, and in 1803 visited Paris. There he was stranded by the resumption of hostilities at the conclusion of the Peace of Amiens, and detained, with other English visitors, as a prisoner of war. But by the influence of Claude Ambroise Régnier, the Minister of Justice, whom he knew, he was released on parole, and after a few years was allowed to leave for England.

Sharp married Elizabeth Croudace of Bishopwearmouth in Coldstream 15th October 1811.

Family: Cuthbert and Elizabeth had one daughter, Louise Sharp. 1811, they settled at Hartlepool and he took up the study of local antiquities. He acted as mayor of the town in 1813, 1816 and 1824 and was knighted on the occasion of a visit of the Prince Regent in 1816. In 1823 Sharp was appointed collector of customs at Sunderland and resided in Albion Place, Stockton Road, Bishopwearmouth. He sat on many committees with the River Wear Commissioners and was active in the interests of the Port of Sunderland particularly in making the case for wet docks. In 1845 he was promoted to the post of collector of customs at Newcastle-on-Tyne, at this time he lived in Northumberland Street, his house, now demolished, would have been close to the Northumberland Street entrance to Eldon Square. It was here that Sir Cuthbert resided until his death on 12th August 1849.

While in Sunderland, Sharp became a joining member of The Sea Captains Lodge in 1824, which changed its name to Palatine Lodge No 97 in 1830. He became Worshipful Master of the Lodge in 1827, 1828, 1834 and 1837 and was appointed as the Right Worshipful Deputy Provincial Grand Master of the Province of Durham in 1832.

Works

In 1816 appeared his first book, The History of Hartlepool (2nd ed. 1851), which made his reputation as an antiquarian. Sharp came to know Robert Surtees, the historian of County Durham, and helped him with local genealogies. His contributions to Surtees's History of Durham were distinguished by the initials C. S. surmounted by a rose. In 1840 appeared his Memorials of the Rebellion of 1569, based on the Bowes Manuscripts.

Other works of his include:
History of Hartlepool, 1816 printed by Francis Humble and Co., Durham, 1816 with engravings by Thomas Bewicke.
'A Brief Summary of a Manuscript formerly belonging to Lord William Howard,’ 1819.
'Excerpta Memorabilia e Registris Parochialibus Com. Pal. Dunelm.' in three parts, 1819, 1825, 1841; published in one volume in 1841.
'A List of the Knights and Burgesses who have represented the County and City of Durham in Parliament,’ Durham 1826; 2nd ed. Sunderland, 1833.
'Poems,’ Sunderland, 1828.
'The Life of Ambrose Barnes, sometime Alderman of Newcastle,’ 1828.
'The Worme of Lambton,’ a legend, 1830.
‘The Bishoprick Garland. 1834 a collection of songs and traditional rhymes from County Durham.
He also compiled a Catalogue of his manuscripts, 1829."
"Memorials of the Rebellion of the Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland 1569", 1840

Durham Cathedral Library has his collection of notes and manuscripts.

Sir Cuthbert was a good friend of Sir Walter Scott whom he met while studying at Edinburgh University and on one occasion when writing to him had referred to a visit, which Sir Walter had made to Sunderland.
This elicited a reply in verse recorded below:-
Forget thee? No! My worthy frere!
Forget blithe mirth and gallant cheer?
Death sooner stretch me on my bier
Forget thee? No!
Forget the Universal Shout
When “canny S’land spoke out?
A truth, which knaves affect to doubt
Forget thee? No.

Edited and added to from wikipedia

www.hhtandn.org/relatedimages/6196/sir-cuthbert-sharps-house

Taken on: January 14, 2007

Tags:

St Hilda's Church

Hartlepool

The Headland

Sir Cuthbert Sharp

Cuthbert Sharp « less

Sets appears in: • Members of Parliament • The Burney's more » • Sir Cuthbert Sharp F.S.A. (1781-1849) • Sir Walter Scott (1771 - 1832) • Hartlepool Places of Worship • Freemasonry and Freemasons • Literary Britain Links • Hartlepool Headland • Hartlepool • St Hilda's Church Hartlepool « less

Camera: Kodak V1233 Zoom, f/3.4, 1/60 sec, 7.9mm, ISO 320 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Kodak V1233 Zoom
Aperture:	f/3.4
Exposure Time:	0.017 sec (1/60)
Focal Length:	7.9mm
ISO:	320
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Gain Control:	High gain up
Color Space:	sRGB
Show full info

Stats: 182 views

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: