Humphrys genealogy

Genealogy research by Mark Humphrys.


My wife's ancestors - Sharp - Contents


Sharp of Stamford, Lincolnshire

The musical Sharp family of Stamford, Lincolnshire.
The Sharp family were "waits" for the town of Stamford.
From medieval times up to the early 19th century, every major British town employed a band of town musicians called "waits" or "waites".
The origin of the word "waits" is actually unclear.
Stamford's waits existed since the 15th century [Fleming, 2017].
Members of the Sharp family used their starting position as town musicians to branch out as concert organisers, performers in other towns, and publishers of their own music.

Surname of this family was usually spelt "Sharp" in earlier times, but sometimes "Sharpe".
Some lines changed to "Sharpe" in later years.

  


Stamford, Lincolnshire, is at the join of three counties.
To the W and N of the town is Rutland (blue-green).
To the E of the town is Lincolnshire (orange).
To the S of the town (and even the S part of Stamford itself) is Northamptonshire (pink).
From county map.


  

Francis Sharp, grocer, of Stamford

Our family starts with a Francis Sharp, town musician ("wait"), born 1724, died 1783.
In the previous generation there is a Francis Sharp, grocer, of Stamford.
They may be father and son, but we need proof of that.

  



Ad for Francis Sharpe, grocer, of Stamford, in the Stamford Mercury, 29 Mar 1733 (new style year).



Item mentioning Francis Sharpe, grocer, of Stamford, in the Stamford Mercury, 13 September 1733.



Francis Sharp, grocer, of Stamford, listed as a bankrupt on p.392 of the Gentleman's Magazine, July 1734.



Francis Sharpe is described as "late Grocer of Stamford" in Stamford Mercury, 19 September 1734.


  

Our family

We begin with:
  
  





The musical Sharpe family of Grantham

There was also a musical Sharpe family of Grantham, Lincolnshire (20 miles from Stamford).
This family may be related to the Stamford musical family.
See [Perkins, 2020, vol.2, pp.11-12].
  

Sharp and Sharpe listed on p.58 of Musical Directory, 1794 by Joseph Doane.
Note "M. Sharp" of Grantham and "Francis Sharpe" of Grantham.


  

Sharp of Yorkshire

  


References

  


Sources yet to be consulted

  


  

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