Politician, lawyer, ornithologist and amateur archaeologist. Magistrate and Chairman of the Middlesex County Council. Born Paddington. Knighted in 1922 and became a Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex. He served as chairman of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds from 1896 to 1942, and was involved in the introduction of the Importation of Plumage (Prohibition) Bill. Published books on the history of Middlesex. Died Ealing.
Brentford and Chiswick Local History Society has this: "Sharpe was a respected authority on the early history of Middlesex with a particular interest in the Roman period; his researches into Caesar’s movements, and his investigation and recording of defensive stakes in the river bed at Brentford, led him to believe that Brentford was the site of Caesar’s fording of the Thames. This proposition was naturally well-received in Brentford. He expounded his theories in several books, and in articles for archaeological journals, and conceived the idea of the Monument to give his ideas a more tangible form."
The 1948 Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society has a (not uncritical) obituary which states (incorrectly) that Sharp was born in Hanwell and gave Hanwell Park to Ealing as a public park.
His Wikipedia page incorrectly gives (October 2023) his date of birth as 28 October 1857 and his place of birth as Hanwell Park. It also incorrectly shows that he was a founder of the Haven Lodge. Another image of him with his first wife can be found at the National Portrait Gallery website.
Montagu Sharpe was born on 28 October 1856 in Paddington, Middlesex (now Greater London), the son of Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Sharpe (1812-1883) and Marianne Fanny Sharpe née Montagu (1818-1898). His birth was registered in the 4th quarter 1856 in the Kensington registration district, Middlesex (now Greater London). On 23 November 1856 he was baptised at St James' Church, Sussex Gardens, Paddington, where in the baptismal register he is shown as residing with his parents at Hanwell Park, Hanwell, Middlesex (now Greater London). His father was shown as a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy.
In the 1861 census he is shown as aged 4 years, living at Hanwell Park, Hanwell, with his parents together with one male and three female servants. Also on the estate was a gardener, his wife and their son. His father's occupation was shown as 'half pay Royal Navy'
He was shown as a 14-year-old boarding pupil on the 1871 census at Felsted Grammar School, Felsted, Essex.
He was described as an officer of probate, aged 25 years in 1881 census, residing in The Park, Hanwell, with his parents, together with two female servants. His father was shown as a Justice of the Peace.
On 21 April 1885 he was initiated as a Freemason in the Haven Lodge No.2022 that met at Lyric Hall, Broadway, Ealing. Together with 20 other freemasons, he petitioned the United Grand Lodge of England for the creation of new lodge to be called the Jersey Lodge No.2163. The warrant for this new lodge was issued on 27 May 1886 and it was consecrated on 23 September 1886. Its first meetings were held at the Coffee Tavern, Southall, Middlesex, but on 1 November 1886 he resigned from this Lodge. Along with 12 other freemasons he petitioned the United Grand Lodge of England for the creation of new lodge to be called the Horsa-dun Lodge No.3123. The warrant for its creation was issued on 20 July 1905 and the Lodge was consecrated on 18 October 1905. It originally met at Beetham’s School, Greenford, Ealing, until it moved to Park Hotel, Hanwell, Ealing, in 1914. He was granted honorary membership of this lodge in 1910.
On 31 July 1888 he married Mary Annie Parsons (1857-1929) at St Mary's Church, Church Road, Hanwell, where in the marriage register he is shown as of full age, a bachelor, an esquire and Justice of the Peace, residing in Hanwell, whilst his wife was described as of full age, a spinster, the daughter of Captain John Richard Parsons RN, (1825-1904) also living in Hanwell.
On the night of the 1891 census both he and his wife were staying in the Queens Hotel, Marine Parade, Eastbourne, Sussex and his occupation was recorded as a 'Barrister at law J.P. DL.'.
He gave is occupation as 'Barrister (English)' in the 1901 census, living with his wife at 'Caprera', Auckland Road West, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, the home of his father-in-law, retired Captain John Richard Parsons and his mother-in-law, Mary Ann Parsons née Dendle (1837-1909), together with a cook and a housemaid.
In the London Gazette dated 3 June 1904 he was shown has having been awarded the Badge of the Order of Mercy having been a President of the League of Mercy.
On the night of the 1911 census both he and his wife were staying in the Royal Pavilion Hotel, Folkestone, Kent and he was described a barrister at law. The census return confirmed that his wife of 22 years and aged 54 years, had not given birth to any children.
Both he and his wife were shown as first class passengers on the manifest of the SS Warwickshire of the Bibby Line leaving Liverpool, Lancashire, on 27 February 1925 bound for Port Said, Egypt, giving their address as Brent Lodge, Hanwell and his occupation as Chairman, Middlesex Sessions. They returned on board the RMS Empress of Scotland of the Canadian Pacific Ocean Services Ltd line arriving in Southampton, Hampshire on 11 April 1925 having embarked at Alexandria, Egypt and giving their address in the UK as Brent Lodge, Hanwell, London, W.7. His occupation was listed as a Chairman, Quarter Sessions.
He was again shown as arriving in Southampton, Hampshire on 13 April 1926 having embarked at Alexandria, Egypt aboard the RMS Empress of France of the Canadian Pacific Ocean Services Ltd line with his wife as first class passengers and giving their address in the UK as Brent Lodge, London. His occupation was listed as a Chairman.
His wife's death, aged 72 years, was registered in 1st quarter of 1929 in the Brentford registration district and her body was buried on 28 January 1929 in Plot 4901 in Hanwell Cemetery, Uxbridge Road, London, W7 3QG. Probate records confirm that Dame Mary Annie Sharpe died on 24 January 1929, that she lived at Brent Lodge, Hanwell and that when probate was granted on 12 March 1929, jointly to her husband and to John Louis Granville Sharpe, her effects totalled £14,330-3s-0d.
On 25 June 1929, aged 72 years, he married the 32-year-old Frances Eileen Hobson (b.1897), the marriage being registered in the St Martin registration district, London.
In the 1937 edition Kelly's Directory of Middlesex he is listed as one of the county's magistrates and gives his address as 1 Mount View, Ealing, W.5., Middlesex (now Greater London).
In the 1939 England and Wales register he is described Montagu Sharpe, KC, DL and JP, living at 3 Linden Terrace, Dulverton, Somerset, together with his wife.
He died, aged 85 years, on 23 August 1942. His death was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1942 in the Brentford registration district, Middlesex (now Greater London). On 27 August 1942 his body was buried in Plot 4901 in Hanwell Cemetery, Uxbridge Road, London, W7 3QG. Probate records confirm that his address had been 1 Mount View, Ealing and that when probate was granted on 4 November 1942 to Barclays Bank Limited his effects totalled £17,675-5s-5d.
Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk and Andrew Behan.
