Henry George Sharp was born on 27 August 1883 in Clapham, Surrey (now Greater London), his birth being registered in the 4th quarter of 1883 in the Wandsworth Registration District, Surrey.
On 17 January 1899 he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class, service number Portsmouth 202665, claiming to have been a labourer, becoming a Boy 1st Class on 26 October 1899. On 27 August 1901, his 18th birthday, he signed on for 12 years as an Ordinary Seaman. Having been promoted to Able Seaman on 1 January 1903 and serving aboard many ships he purchased his early discharge on 23 August 1907 and became a member of the Royal Fleet Reserve, service number B2325.
On 21 November 1909 he married Ann Gable (1885-1955) in Holy Trinity Church, Stepney, London, where in the marriage register he is shown as aged 26 years, a bachelor working for the London Salvage Corps and living at 159 Southwark Bridge Road, Borough, London, the son of Joseph Sharp, a carman, whilst his wife was described as aged 24 years and a spinster residing at 53 Longfellow Road, Hackney, the daughter of Charles Gable, a deceased stevedore.
When he completed his 1911 census return form on 2 April 1911 he described himself as aged 27 years and a Salvage Officer (Fire) employed by the London Salvage Corps and living in two rooms at 10 Salvage Corps Station, 159 Southwark Bridge Road, Borough, with his wife and their son, George Thomas Sharp (b.1910).
He completed his 1921 census return form on 19 June 1921 on which he showed himself as aged 37 years, 10 months and employed by the London Fire Salvage Corps at 91 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1. He was residing in four rooms at 90 Upper Street, Islington, with his with his wife and their three children: George Thomas Sharp; Violet Maud Sharp (1914-1992) and Lilian Ada Sharp (1916-1964) who were all in whole time education.
His death was registered as aged 40 years in the 3rd quarter of 1924 in the Hackney Registration District. As a Salvageman both he and Fireman Alfred Horace Parsons died on 23 August 1924 as a result of injuries they sustained after being crushed by debris, following the collapse of a wall caused by exploding turpentine containers at the Japanol Enamel Company, Kingsbury Road, Islington.
He is shown as 'H. G. SHARP (LONDON SALVAGE CORPS)' on the London Fire Brigade Memorial in Highgate Cemetery, Swain's Lane, London, N6. He is also commemorated on the National Firefighters Memorial at Sermon Lane, London, EC4 and on .
We were unable to find an image of the man but have instead used a photograph taken at his funeral.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
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