Francis Sharp (died 1795)
Marriage of Francis Sharp and Mary Sharp (see their signatures), 6 Jan 1771, Stamford.
Says he is a musician.
From
here.
Francis Sharp,
bapt 8 July 1749.
He was a
musician.
He played the
pianoforte.
He studied music under
J.C. Bach
(who lived in London from 1762 to death 1782).
Maybe this is how Francis married in London in 1770.
Surname is signed "Sharp" at marriage 1771.
At mar 1771 he is listed as a musician.
He mar
Mary Sharp
[NOT Margaret].
They mar 18 Aug 1770
in
Saint Martin In The Fields,
Westminster, London.
Due to some irregularity they had another marriage ceremony on 6 Jan 1771 at
St.George's church,
Stamford.
She is signed "Mary Sharp" at marriage 1771.
It is possible that she has already adopted his name (since 1770)
so this is not her maiden name.
They are both listed as of parish of St.George's, Stamford.
(But for her this might be only since 1770.)
Children baptised in Stamford 1771 to 1788.
[Fleming, 2017]
says that he acquired his freedom (from apprenticeship)
on 25 Aug 1773.
See
Francis Sharp's musical career and interests
(items from 1775 to 1794).
He became a "wait" (town musician)
for Stamford
on 29 Sept 1776,
after his father before him.
He is listed as "musician" at son's bapt 1777.
His father died 1783.
He took over running concerts at Stamford, with help of his mother.
See ad
for a forthcoming concert organised by "Francis Sharp and his Mother",
Stamford Mercury, 14 January 1785.
He is listed in 1785 ad as of St. George's St, Stamford.
(The street that runs past St.George's church.
See map.)
At concerts in 1786
he
is listed as of St. George's St.
He taught piano.
He was churchwarden of St.George's church,
Stamford.
Mary dies, 1793:
She died 3 Dec 1793.
Mary, wife of Francis Sharp,
was bur 6 Dec 1793, St.George's church, Stamford.
See entry
from here.
See notice
on p.1153
of
Gentleman's Magazine, Dec 1793.
Confirms she is wife of the musician.
He must be Francis Sharp, gentleman, widower, of St.George's parish, Stamford,
who enters into a marriage bond, 30 June 1794, with
Martha Sharp, spinster.
See bond
from here.
Francis dies, 1795:
He died 1795, age 46 yrs.
He was bur 12 Nov 1795, St.George's church, Stamford.
See entry
from here.
See transcript
of notice in
Stamford Mercury, 13 Nov 1795.
From [Fleming, 2017].
See poor quality image
from here.
The children were orphaned in 1795.
See Francis Sharp's published music.
Francis and Mary had issue:
- Ann Sharp,
bapt 4 Aug 1771, St.George's church, Stamford.
See entry
from here.
She must have died young (there is another Anne).
- Mary Sharp,
bapt 8 Aug 1773, St.George's church, Stamford.
See entry
from here.
She is
named in her aunt Sarah Hotchkin's will 1826.
She is unmarried, living Stamford.
-
Francis Sharp,
bapt 25 July 1775, St.George's church, Stamford.
See entry
from here.
Francis, son of Francis and Mary Sharp, infant, was bur 20 Aug 1776, St.Michael's church, Stamford.
See entry
from here.
Francis Sharpe of Knutsford
The origin of
Francis Sharpe of Knutsford
is mysterious.
Memoir of his son says that Francis Sharpe of Knutsford is grandson of
Francis Sharp, musician (died 1783).
Francis Sharpe of Knutsford was born 1775 (by age at death), and was a
music teacher and organist.
This would fit perfectly with this Francis Sharp, baptised 1775.
Except it seems very clear he died as an infant in 1776.
So who is Francis Sharpe of Knutsford?
This remains unresolved.
-
Francis Sharpe,
born 1775.
Supposed to be from Stamford.
Lived Knutsford, Cheshire.
He was a music teacher and organist.
- Richard Sharp,
bapt 31 Aug 1777, St.Michael's church, Stamford.
See entry
from here.
Lists father as "musician".
Don't know why switched churches for this baptism.
One source thought Richard was bapt 5 July 1775, St.George's church, Stamford,
but that is not found.
[Fleming, 2017, note 78]
says that
Richard performed music himself.
He organised an annual concert
at Newark, Nottinghamshire.
He
married a Miss Sharpe of London in 1794.
- Charlotte Sharp,
bapt 14 Jan 1780, St.George's church, Stamford.
See entry
from here.
She is
named in her aunt Sarah Hotchkin's will 1826.
She is unmarried, living Stamford.
- Anne Sharp,
bapt 8 Feb 1783, St.George's church, Stamford.
See entry
from here.
-
Frideric Handel Sharp,
bapt 8 June 1785, St.George's church, Stamford.
See entry
from here.
Named after the Baroque composer
George Frideric Handel (died 1759).
Handel's music appears often in Sharp's concerts.
Sharp played in the
Handel Commemoration
concerts at Westminster Abbey in 1784-1791.
Unfortunately the child died in infancy.
He was bur 10 June 1785, St.George's church.
- John Lard Sharp,
bapt 8 Aug 1788, St.George's church, Stamford.
See entry
from here.
Entry for Francis Sharp on p.279 of
Vol.13 (1991)
of
[Bio. Actors etc.].
Not sure who Francis Sharp of Lincolnshire in 1815 is.
Could be
Francis Sharpe of Knutsford.
Or could be the
Grantham family.
"Francis Sharp, junior"
promoting his own concerts
while his father was alive.
From Stamford Mercury, 28 Sept 1775.
After his father died,
Francis Sharp continued organising concerts at Stamford for many years.
A bookplate
of F. Sharp, Stamford, 1785.
Image courtesy of
Chris Kyle.
See larger
and full size.
Sources yet to be consulted
- GB 2235 Stamford Manor.
Manorial records of Stamford, deposited in the Town Hall, Stamford.
- Hall papers 1773, Session 5 (26 Aug 1773), has "Birth Certificate of Francis Sharp."
- Payments to musicians at Burghley House
near Stamford
(seat of Earl of Exeter and later Marquess of Exeter).
- A Descriptive Catalogue of the Music Collection at Burghley House, Stamford,
Gerald Gifford, 2002.
- Francis Sharp on pp. 8, 11, 22, 41.
About Sharp performing music at Burghley House.
