Jump to content

Ernest Hamilton Sharp

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ernest Hamilton Sharp
Unofficial Member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong
In office
1916–1922
Appointed bySir Matthew Nathan
Preceded byE. A. Hewett
Succeeded byA. G. Stephen
Acting Attorney General for Hong Kong
In office
1904–1905
Appointed byFrederick Lugard
Preceded byWilliam Meigh Goodman
Succeeded byWilliam Meigh Goodman
Personal details
Born1861
United Kingdom
Died(1922-02-09)9 February 1922
British Hong Kong
Resting placeProtestant Cemetery, Happy Valley
Spouse(s)Sarah, née Cunliffe
Alma materLincoln College, Oxford
University of Hong Kong
OccupationBarrister

Ernest Hamilton Sharp, OBE, KC (1861 – 9 February 1922) was a barrister in Hong Kong.

Education

[edit]

He was educated at Lincoln College of the Oxford University and was called to the Bar of the Inner Temple in 1891. He practised in the Midland Circuit until he went to Hong Kong in 1894.[1]

Hong Kong

[edit]

He was appointed as the King's Counsel for the colony of Hong Kong in July 1902.[2] He had acted as the Attorney General for Hong Kong during the departure of William Meigh Goodman in 1904.[3] Sharp was later appointed as unofficial member of the Executive Council from 1916 to 1922. As a barrister he practised at the Hong Kong Supreme Court until 1906 and practised at home before the Privy Council from 1906 to 1914. He returned to Hong Kong in late 1913.[1]

During the First World War he was the chairman of the War Charities Executive Committee from 1915 to 1918, chairman of the Military Service Commission in 1918 and chairman of the General Military Service Tribunal in 1918.[1] Sharp was honoured as the Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1918 for his government and war services.[4]

He was appointed chairman of the Commission of Inquiry into the finances of the University of Hong Kong in 1920. The recommendations of the commissions made some important changes and more satisfactory position of the university. He was rewarded the Legum Doctor honoris causa by the university in recognition of his service.[1]

Personal life

[edit]

Sharp married Sarah Cunliffe, daughter of Roger Cunliffe, of Tunbridge Wells and had seven children. During his life in Hong Kong, he shared a residence with Colonial Secretary Dr. Claud Severn, and the deputy registrar of the Supreme Court C. A. D. Melbourne.

Sharp was also a Freemason and a member of the Apollo University Lodge, Oxford. He was also one of the founders of the Hong Kong University Lodge at its consecration in 1913.[1]

Death

[edit]

Sharp died of chronic nephritis at the Peak Hospital on 9 February 1922.[5] His funeral took place at the Hong Kong (Happy Valley) Cemetery, on the evening of the same day.[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e "Obituary". The China Mail. 9 February 1922. p. 4.
  2. ^ "No. 27451". The London Gazette. 4 July 1902. p. 4291.
  3. ^ "The Hong Kong Government Gazette" (PDF). 26 August 1904. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "The Hong Kong Government Gazette" (PDF). 15 March 1918. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "THE LATE HON. E. H. SHARP, K.C." The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser. 24 February 1922. p. 2.
  6. ^ "Funeral". The China Mail. 10 February 1922. p. 8.
Legal offices
Preceded by Acting Attorney General of Hong Kong
1904–1905
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Unofficial Member of the Executive Council of Hong Kong
1916–1922
Succeeded by