Brief biography of the Hartlepool historian.

Cuthbert Sharp was born in Hartlepool and was baptised in St Hilda’s Church, next door to his family home, on June 3^rd 1781. (Some biographical references say he was born in Sunderland, but the entry in St Hilda’s register is plain to see)

He was the son of a shipowner Cuthbert Sharp and his wife Susannah Crosby of Stockton. His older brother Hercules, named after Susannah’s father, was baptised in 1779. Susannah’s brother was Brass Crosby who was a controversial Lord Mayor of London in 1771. Young Cuthbert was educated at Greenwich and served as an officer in Ireland during the rebellion aged 18 years.

On his return, he studied at Edinburgh University where he became a good friend of Sir Walter Scott. Sharp took an opportunity to visit Paris when peace talks began, but was detained there when the Napoleonic Wars recommenced. He was spared death as he was acquainted  with  Boneparte’s Judge Regnier and returned to Britain.

For many years he lived in Hartlepool and became friendly with  Robert Surtees whom he helped with his History of County Durham. Inspired by this, in 1816, Sharp's History of Hartlepool was published and very well received and in the same year he was knighted by the Prince Regent. He was Mayor of Hartlepool in 1813, 1816 and 1824. A freemason, in 1832 he was elected Deputy Provincial Grand Master for the County of Durham

In 1823 he was appointed to the Collectorship of the Customs for the port of Sunderland and in 1845 the same post in Newcastle. At this time he lived in Northumberland Street, his house, now demolished, would have been close to the Northumberland St entrance to Eldon Square. It was here that Sir Cuthbert died in August 1849.

Unfortunately, the Sharp family home at 113 High Street and close to the churchyard wall was demolished around 1959, following an unsuccessful and very lengthy public campaign to save it.

This heavy bronze plaque was for many years on the house which was the birthplace of Sir Cuthbert Sharp at 113 High Street Hartlepool.

After a period of at least 12 years during which time a number of local people campaigned that the historic Georgian house should be saved, it was demolished by the old Hartlepool council around 1959.

It seems one of the engineers working on the demolition gave the plaque to Hartlepool Council for safekeeping and it was placed somewhere in the Borough Buildings. What happened next is a bit more unclear.

In 1967 Hartlepool and West Hartlepool amalgamated and an effort was made to recover all artefacts and documents from both towns and the then Borough Engineer brought the plaque to Hartlepool Museum in 1972. It is catalogued and in safe keeping although for a number of years it was on display at Hartlepool Maritime Museum when it was in the Carnegie  Building. It is hoped that in the near future it can be once again displayed.

Notable professional people in Hartlepool.

Looking in a pretty sorry state with the house adjoining it demolished, this is the birthplace and childhood home of Sir Cuthbert Sharp.Located in the High Street, old Hartlepool next to St Hilda's Church, it was the subject of a long lasting conservation campaign in the 1940s and 50s which was eventually lost when the old Hartlepool Council demolished the building.

There were plans to extend Brougham St,now Durham St, towards the sea and the site was apparently needed. According  to news reports at the time, Sharp's house was in the way and despite an independent surveyor saying that the house was sound, the council disagreed and thought it too expensive to maintain.The plans to extend Durham St never came to fruition and  today the site of the house is still vacant.

The birthplace plaque can be seen in situ under the left hand window.