John Sharp (New Zealand politician)
Encyclopedia
John Sharp was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Nelson
, New Zealand
and Mayor of Nelson.
, Kent, England, in 1828. He was educated at Chatham House College, Ramsgate
, for the Navy for four years. However, he joined the merchant service. He was an honorary member of Lodge Southern Star, No. 735, E.C., of the New Zealand Freemasons.
. Next Sharp became a surveyor for the New Zealand Company
. He then received the appointment of assistant clerk to John Tinline, who was clerk to the Superintendent and Resident Magistrate. When Tinline resigned Sharp became clerk. A few months later he was appointed of Registrar of the Supreme Court. A notable trial during this time related to the Maungatapu murders
.
When Mr Poynter died, he was appointed Resident Magistrate (1868–1871), Registrar of Deeds, and Deputy Commissioner of Stamps. Sharp held these appointments for three years and then retired.
In 1872 he went into partnership with JA and TH Harley as a co–owner of Kent Breweries. In 1876 he took a controlling share of Nelson's largest brewery, changing its name to The City Brewery. This he sold to Harley and Little. His second business interest was Sharp and Sons, an auctioneering firm.
The house at 193 Milton Street, was named "Fellworth" after an old English family residence. It was constructed from Rimu, Totara, Matai, and Kauri timber, had an English slate tile roof, and African back basalt steps at its main entrance. On Sharp's death in 1919 the house was sold to the Cawthron Trust Board. From 1920 to 1970 the house was transformed into a series of labs, a library, and a museum. It is now privately owned.
Fellworth House is a Category II historic place registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
. It was registered on 25 November 1982 with registration number 1553.
electorate from 1875 to 1879, when he resigned. During Sharp’s term in Parliament he enabled Nelson
to purchase from the Government the Nelson waterworks and gasworks. The Government had taken these over when the provinces were abolished.
from 1887 until 1890. He was first elected to replace Charles Fell
who had resigned.
broke out in the North in 1845, and after the destruction of Kororaraka
the Governor, Captain FitzRoy
, ordered the militia
to be called out in Wellington, New Plymouth and Nelson A hundred men were to be balloted for in Nelson and divided into two companies of fifty each.
No 1 Company was under Captain Dr Greenwood, Lieutenant Dr Renwick, Ensign Charles Thorpe of Motueka
, and Sergeant, Gibson. No 2 Company was under Captain Dr Monro, Lieutenant, Dillon Bell, Ensign A.L.G. Campbell and Sergeant, Plumbridge. The Nelson militia Adjutant was Major Newcombe, a British Army
officer and Quarter-master, Mr Seymour.
Sharp was one of those balloted. He was placed in No 2 Company. Sharp was made a Corporal because he had had four years drill at college. The militia had a fife
and drum band. Its leader was Knapp, father of Constable Knapp, of Spring Grove. The drummer was FitzRoy, an old drummer of the Life Guards
.
The reveille was at 5.30am and drill twice daily from 6am to 8am and 5pm to 6pm so that the men could attend work during the day.
The militia later became the Nelson Rifles. Sharp was one of its Captains and later an honorary member.
He was also a volunteer firefighter, a member of the Nelson Bowling Club, and had the reputation as an excellent cricketer.
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and Mayor of Nelson.
Early life
Sharp was born in MaidstoneMaidstone
Maidstone is the county town of Kent, England, south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the centre of the town linking Maidstone to Rochester and the Thames Estuary. Historically, the river was a source and route for much of the town's trade. Maidstone was the centre of the agricultural...
, Kent, England, in 1828. He was educated at Chatham House College, Ramsgate
Ramsgate
Ramsgate is a seaside town in the district of Thanet in east Kent, England. It was one of the great English seaside towns of the 19th century and is a member of the ancient confederation of Cinque Ports. It has a population of around 40,000. Ramsgate's main attraction is its coastline and its main...
, for the Navy for four years. However, he joined the merchant service. He was an honorary member of Lodge Southern Star, No. 735, E.C., of the New Zealand Freemasons.
Career
In 1843 Sharp migrated to New Zealand in the ship Ursula as clerk to Sir Francis Dillon BellDillon Bell
Sir Francis Dillon Bell KCMG CB MLC was a New Zealand politician of the late 19th century. He served as New Zealand's third Minister of Finance , and later as its third Speaker of the House...
. Next Sharp became a surveyor for the New Zealand Company
New Zealand Company
The New Zealand Company originated in London in 1837 as the New Zealand Association with the aim of promoting the "systematic" colonisation of New Zealand. The association, and later the company, intended to follow the colonising principles of Edward Gibbon Wakefield, who envisaged the creation of...
. He then received the appointment of assistant clerk to John Tinline, who was clerk to the Superintendent and Resident Magistrate. When Tinline resigned Sharp became clerk. A few months later he was appointed of Registrar of the Supreme Court. A notable trial during this time related to the Maungatapu murders
Maungatapu murders
The Maungatapu murders were the events surrounding the murders of five people on the Maungatapu track in two separate attacks, near Nelson, New Zealand which occurred on 12 and 13 June 1866...
.
When Mr Poynter died, he was appointed Resident Magistrate (1868–1871), Registrar of Deeds, and Deputy Commissioner of Stamps. Sharp held these appointments for three years and then retired.
In 1872 he went into partnership with JA and TH Harley as a co–owner of Kent Breweries. In 1876 he took a controlling share of Nelson's largest brewery, changing its name to The City Brewery. This he sold to Harley and Little. His second business interest was Sharp and Sons, an auctioneering firm.
Fellworth House
Sharp commissioned John Scotland, a local builder and architect to construct a substantial 620 square metre, two story residence for him and his family in 1876 at a cost of 3,000 pounds.The house at 193 Milton Street, was named "Fellworth" after an old English family residence. It was constructed from Rimu, Totara, Matai, and Kauri timber, had an English slate tile roof, and African back basalt steps at its main entrance. On Sharp's death in 1919 the house was sold to the Cawthron Trust Board. From 1920 to 1970 the house was transformed into a series of labs, a library, and a museum. It is now privately owned.
Fellworth House is a Category II historic place registered by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust
New Zealand Historic Places Trust
The New Zealand Historic Places Trust is a non-profit trust that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage buildings in New Zealand...
. It was registered on 25 November 1982 with registration number 1553.
Provincial Council
Sharp was representative for Waimea East for two years and then representative for Amuri. He held the position of Provincial Treasurer for three years.Parliament
He represented the City of NelsonNelson (New Zealand electorate)
Nelson is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. From 1853 to 1860, the electorate was called Town of Nelson. From 1860 to 1881, it was City of Nelson...
electorate from 1875 to 1879, when he resigned. During Sharp’s term in Parliament he enabled Nelson
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
to purchase from the Government the Nelson waterworks and gasworks. The Government had taken these over when the provinces were abolished.
Mayor
Sharp was the Mayor of NelsonMayor of Nelson, New Zealand
The Mayor of Nelson is the head of the municipal government of Nelson, New Zealand, and presides over the Nelson City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...
from 1887 until 1890. He was first elected to replace Charles Fell
Charles Fell
Charles Yates Fell, was a New Zealand barrister, councillor, mayor and watercolour artist.- Background :Fell was born in Nelson in 1844...
who had resigned.
Militia
When the warFlagstaff War
The Flagstaff War – also known as Hone Heke's Rebellion, the Northern War and erroneously as the First Māori War – was fought between 11 March 1845 and 11 January 1846 in and around the Bay of Islands, New Zealand...
broke out in the North in 1845, and after the destruction of Kororaraka
Russell, New Zealand
Russell, formerly known as Kororareka, was the first permanent European settlement and sea port in New Zealand. It is situated in the Bay of Islands, in the far north of the North Island. As at the 2006 census it had a resident population of 816, an increase of 12 from 2001...
the Governor, Captain FitzRoy
Robert FitzRoy
Vice-Admiral Robert FitzRoy RN achieved lasting fame as the captain of HMS Beagle during Charles Darwin's famous voyage, and as a pioneering meteorologist who made accurate weather forecasting a reality...
, ordered the militia
New Zealand Defence Force
The New Zealand Defence Force consists of three services: the Royal New Zealand Navy; the New Zealand Army; and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The Commander-in-Chief of the NZDF is His Excellency Rt. Hon...
to be called out in Wellington, New Plymouth and Nelson A hundred men were to be balloted for in Nelson and divided into two companies of fifty each.
No 1 Company was under Captain Dr Greenwood, Lieutenant Dr Renwick, Ensign Charles Thorpe of Motueka
Motueka
The town of Motueka in the South Island of New Zealand lies close to the mouth of the Motueka River, on the western shore of Tasman Bay. It is, after Nelson and Richmond, the third largest centre in the Tasman Region, with a population of 7125...
, and Sergeant, Gibson. No 2 Company was under Captain Dr Monro, Lieutenant, Dillon Bell, Ensign A.L.G. Campbell and Sergeant, Plumbridge. The Nelson militia Adjutant was Major Newcombe, a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer and Quarter-master, Mr Seymour.
Sharp was one of those balloted. He was placed in No 2 Company. Sharp was made a Corporal because he had had four years drill at college. The militia had a fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
and drum band. Its leader was Knapp, father of Constable Knapp, of Spring Grove. The drummer was FitzRoy, an old drummer of the Life Guards
Life Guards (British Army)
The Life Guards is the senior regiment of the British Army and with the Blues and Royals, they make up the Household Cavalry.They originated in the four troops of Horse Guards raised by Charles II around the time of his restoration, plus two troops of Horse Grenadier Guards which were raised some...
.
The reveille was at 5.30am and drill twice daily from 6am to 8am and 5pm to 6pm so that the men could attend work during the day.
The militia later became the Nelson Rifles. Sharp was one of its Captains and later an honorary member.
He was also a volunteer firefighter, a member of the Nelson Bowling Club, and had the reputation as an excellent cricketer.