He left a widow, two sons, and a daughter. His elder son, Felix Sharples, remained in America, where he practised as an artist, and died in North Carolina. His widow, Mrs. Ellen Sharples (d. 1849), after her husband's death, returned with her younger son, James Sharples (d. 1839), and her daughter, Rolinda Sharples (see below), to England. They resided for some little time in London, and all three occasionally exhibited portraits at the Royal Academy. Eventually they settled at Bristol Hot-Wells, where they continued to practise their art. Mrs. Sharples, who survived her whole family, in 1845 gave 2,000l. towards the foundation of an academy for the promotion of the fine arts at Bristol, which, after her death in March 1849, was supplemented by a bequest of 3,465l. From these sums was erected the present Bristol Academy, which contains samples of paintings by various members of the Sharples family.
Rolinda Sharples (d. 1838), who was an honorary member of the Society of British Artists, painted some works on a larger scale, such as ‘The Trial of the Bristol Rioters’ (1832) and ‘Clifton Racecourse’ (1836), each picture containing a number of small portraits. She died at Bristol on 10 Feb. 1838.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Dunlap's Hist. of the Arts of Design in the United States; Baker's Engraved Portraits of Washington; Graves's Dict. of Artists, 1760–1893; information from Robert Hall Warren, esq.]
SHARPLES, JAMES (1825–1893), blacksmith and artist, born at Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1825, was one of the thirteen children of a working ironfounder, and began work at Bury in his father's calling from an early age. He got but scanty education, but obtained practice in drawing from drawing designs of boilers on the floor of the workshop in which he was employed. He was encouraged at home to practise drawing, and became expert in copying lithographs and engravings. When aged 16 he entered the Bury Mechanics' Institution in order to attend a drawing class held there. With the help of Burnet's ‘Practical Treatise on Painting’ he made further progress during his leisure hours, and even tried painting in oils. Undeterred by failures, he continued to try and teach himself, making his own easel, palette, &c., and buying brushes and canvas with money which he earned by working overtime. Then, by studying Flaxman's ‘Anatomical Principles,’ given him by his brother, and Brook Taylor's ‘Principles of Perspective,’ he acquired sufficient skill to complete a picture of ‘The Forge,’ besides painting portraits. He soon found himself able to give up his work at the foundry, but returned to it on finding how uncertain the profession of an artist was. It being suggested that ‘The Forge’ should be engraved, Sharples set to work and engraved it himself by a process of his own, without ever having seen a plate engraved by anybody else. Another picture by Sharples, ‘The Smithy,’ has also been reproduced. He died in 1893 after a life of great industry.
[Smiles's Self-Help; Times, 15 June 1893.]
SHARROCK, ROBERT (1630–1684), archdeacon of Winchester, baptised at Drayton Parslow, Buckinghamshire, on 29 June 1630 (parish reg.), was son of Robert Sharrock, rector of Drayton Parslow from 1639 to 1642, and of Adstock, Buckinghamshire, from March 1640 till his death in September 1671. His wife's name was Judith. The son Robert was admitted a scholar of Winchester school in 1643, whence he was elected fellow of New College, Oxford, on 5 March 1648-9 by the parliamentary visitors. He matriculated on 16 Nov. 1650, graduated B.C.L. on 12 Oct. 1654, and D.C.L. on 24 May 1661. He was presented to the college rectory of Horwood Magna in Buckinghamshire on 29 June 1665, and was installed prebendary of Winchester on 13 Sept. 1665. In 1668 he exchanged Horwood for the rectory of East Woodhay in Hampshire, which was nearer Winchester, succeeding his younger brother, Edmund (b. 1635), fellow of New College 1658-70. He became rector of Bishop Waltham in Hampshire in 1669, and archdeacon of Winchester on 18 April 1684 (installed 21 April). He died on 11 July 1684. He married Frances, daughter of Edmund West, who survived him, and, dying on 29 Jan. 1691-2, was buried on 31 Jan. at Bishop Waltham. His son Robert (1680?-1708) bequeathed to the bishopric of Lincoln the advowson of the rectory of Adstock, which had been purchased by his grandfather.
Wood says of Sharrock that he was ‘accounted learned in divinity, in the civil and common law, and very knowing in vegetables, and all pertaining thereunto.' Historic interest attaches to his 'History of the Propagation and Improvement of Vegetables,' Oxford, 1660, 1666, 1672, his first published book, as the results of the researches of an early student of natural science, especially botany. It reappeared in London in 1694 with the title 'An Improvement to the Art of Gardening, or an exact History of Plants.' He also supplied prefaces to three of the physical treatises of Robert Boyle [q. v.] viz.: 'Some Considerations touching the Useful-
