Thomas Sharp (c. 1780-1841) of Sharp, Roberts and Co.

c1813 Birth of son Thomas Sharp, Junior.

1814 August 17. Birth of son John Arthur Sharp at Manchester.

1815 Had a counting house at 84 Market Street and Wilkinson's Wharf on the Rochdale Canal.

1816 April 18. Birth of daughter Mary at Manchester.

1817 August 6. Birth of son Frank at Manchester.

1819 February 4. Birth of daughter Elizabeth.

1819 December 16. Birth of daughter Margaret at Manchester (presumed died young, because next daughter also named Margaret, below).

1821 Listed as 'Sharp Thos. and Co. iron-merchants, 84 Market St. and Oxford St.' Also 'Sharp Thos. iron-merchant, h. 10 Falkner St.' He was the Manchester agent for John Wilkinson.

1823 April 7. Birth of daughter Margaret at Manchester.

1824 June 18. Birth of son William Prior Sharp to Thomas Sharp, an ironmaster and his wife Sally Isabella at Manchester.

1826 February 24. Birth of daughter Katherine at Manchester.

1828 Thomas Sharp and Richard Roberts opened the Atlas Works of Sharp, Roberts and Co. to manufacture textile machinery and machine tools. They had built a few stationary steam engines and, in 1833, built a locomotive.

1828/9 Thomas Sharp and Co. (presumed to be the same Thomas Sharp - see below), ironmongers, had offices in Falkner Street (where Richard Roberts had premises) and premises at Wilkinson's Wharf, Oxford Street.

Atlas Works was among the largest and most productive mechanical engineering factories in the kingdom.

1841 Thomas Sharp, iron merchant, lived at Oakfield, Rusholme; the premises of Thomas Sharp and Co were at 79 Faulkner Street and Great Bridgewater Street, the same as Sharp, Roberts and Co.

1841 April 20. Died at Cheltenham age 61. Residence: Oaklands, near Manchester. Senior partner in Sharp, Roberts and Co.

1841 April 27. Large Funeral. "Funeral of the late Thomas Sharp, Esq. The funeral of the late Mr. Sharp took place on Tuesday morning. As was anticipated, a great number of gentlemen expressed their intention to attend the remains to the tomb, as a mark of their respect for the deceased; and many of these gentlemen also sent their carriages. A deputation from the numerous mechanics and other workmen in the extensive establishments of Messrs. Sharp, Roberts, and Co., (in which firms the deceased was the senior partner,) respectfully requested permission to attend the funeral in a body; and, this permission being accorded to them, they formed a very large proportion of the procession on the occasion. The procession left the house of the deceased, Oaklands, in the Victoria Park, by the gate near the Rusholme bar, about half-past nine o'clock. It was headed by two mutes; then came the workmen, between five and six hundred in number, walking four abreast, and most of them attired in black. To them succeeded two mutes, preceding the hearse and four; which was followed by five mourning carriages. In the first were Mr. F. Sharp, the son of the deceased, and chief mourner; Mr. T. B. Sharp, Mr. N. P. Sharp, and Mr. E. Hodgson. In the second were Mr. R. C. Sharp, Mr. John Sharp, Mr. Richard Sharp, and Mr. Moon. In the third, Mr. Henry Tootal and Mr. S. Heelis. In the fourth, Mr. Richard Roberts, Mr. Jones Wilkinsen, and Messrs. Wainwright and John Bellhouse. In the fifth carriage were Messrs. Gavin Hamilton, R.Hervey, and H. C. Campbell. To these followed the carriage of Mr. Turner, surgeon, containing Mr. Turner, and Dr. Conolly, of Cheltenham. Miss Hodgson also sent her carriage. The carriages of gentlemen formed in line in Nelson-street, and thence joined the cortege. There were, at the least, thirty-five gentlemen's carriages in the procession, exclusive of those filled with mourners, and amongst them were those of the following gentlemen:—Messrs. Gilbert Winter, Alexander Henry, Samuel Brooks, Edward Tootal, Edmund Buckley, John Brooks, Elias Chadwick, D. Harrison, George* Schuster, William Harter, Hugh Beaver, Robert Gill, Thomas Ashton, S. Schwabe, Robert Withington, Daniel Grant, Henry Tootal, D. Broadhurst, J. Burt, Thomas Markland, Edwd. Wright, Joseph Jones, Robt. Philips, Thos. Hilton, and G.W. Wood. Amongst the gentlemen (nearly a hundred and fifty in number) not already named who attended the funeral, as a mark of respect to the deceased, were the following:—Messrs. Gilbert Winter, Alexander Henry, Samuel Brooks, John Gould, Edward Tootal, D. Broadhurst, Herford, Elias Chadwick, John Smith, Lot Gardiner, D. Harrison, W. Harter, C. Pooley, Hugh Beaver, John Ferguson, Thomas Cardwell, James Bernard, Thomas Ashton, B. Liebert, Samuel Ashton, H. Schwabe, Thomas Critchley, Robert Worthington, G. E. Marsden, Daniel Grant, S. Meyer, Richard Evans, John Barker, Lea Birch, William Casson, Edward Brooke, Daniel Siltzer, E. S. Walker, W. F. Schofield, W. R. Ravenscroft, H. P. Ree, Henry Turner, T. W. Winstanley, G. Lavino, W. M. Burt, E. Lewis, W. Kelsall, John Hargreaves, Leo Schuster, R. N. Philips, James Reiss, Thomas Hilton, Thomas Johnson, Edward Herford, Thomas Boothman, jun., David Price, William Rayner Wood, E. H. Levyssohn, &c. &c. The procession was closed by two mutes: its length was considerable, as may be supposed from what has been stated, and from the fact, thajt when the head of the procession had reached St. Peter's Church, the rear was but a few yards on the town side of All Saints' Church, Oxford-road. At the church, the procession was met by the Rev. N. Germon, incumbent of St. Peter's; and the principal mourners and friends of the family having entered the edifice, and the coffin being borne thither from the hearse, the gentlemen in the procession and the workmen next entered, and nearly filled the church. As the funeral entered the nave, Mr. Wilkinson, who presided at the organ, performed a dirge. The service for the dead was conducted by the Rev. N. Germon; and, besides the usual psalms in that service, the anthem (from Handel's Messiah,) "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth," was sung by Miss Hardman, Mr. Ishwerwood, and the choir. The respectable appearance, and steady, quiet propriety of demeanour of the workmen, were the subject of general remark. The remains were interred in the family vault, near the entrance door opposite the Scots Church. The whole of the funeral furnishing and. arrangements were under the direction of Messrs. Satterfield and Co., and were of the most satisfactory character; the large procession was well marshalled, and not the least confusion arose. The streets through which it passed were much crowded. The bell of St. Peter's tolled at intervals of a minute, during the morning, till the arrival of the funeral at the church. We have never seen so large a funeral procession since that of poor Malibran. We understand that the Rev. N. Germon offered to open his church for a special service, in connection with the funeral, on Sunday evening next, if the workmen wished to attend it. This offer was respectfully accepted on their part, and we understand that Mr. Germon will preach a funeral sermon on the occasion."

1841 Widow Sally (born c.1785) lived at Oaklands, Rusholme, with son Thomas Sharp, Junior (born c.1813), two daughters and six servants.