William Butterworth Sharples (abt. 1780 - abt. 1830)

Born about 1780 in Bury, Lancashire, England [uncertain]

Descendants

Died about 1830 at about age 50 in Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land, Australia

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Biography

William Sharples was born in Lancashire, England.

William Butterworth/William Sharples/William Butterworth Sharples was born sometime between 1780 and 1782 in Bury, Lancashire, England ^[1].

Conviction in England

William Sharples was a convict after the Third Fleet transported to New South Wales

Little is known of William's early life - aside from the fact that he worked as a bricklayer and/or brickmaker. However, in March 1815, he was tried at the Lancaster Assizes for the crime of forging banknotes (together with accomplice James Davenport) ^{[2] [3]}. Both men pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 14 years' transportation to Australia^[2][3]. They were held in Lancashire prison hulks until they departed for Australia aboard the ship Ocean I in August 1815, arriving in New South Wales on 30 January 1816^[1].

Life in Australia

After some time spent in New South Wales, William found his way to Tasmania somewhat creatively - by stowing away aboard the vessel Chapman, which was bound for England. He was caught while the ship docked in Tasmania. He remained in Tasmania until his death.

While in Tasmania, William employed (or was granted) a servant named Emma Groom, a fellow convict. The pair conceived at least two (purportedly three) children , despite never marrying: Francis Henry (Henry) Groom, born 1819; Frances [Francis] Emma (Fanny) Groom, born 1823 ^[4]; and Mary Groom, born 1824 ^[5]. The children were given their mother's surname (Groom), despite the fact that a number of newspaper articles and miscellaneous record transcripts applied the surname Sharples/Sharpless to the children ^[6], likely based on the assumption that their parents were conventionally married. Further, William was not specified on his children's birth records ^[7], though he is recorded later in his life/their lives as being their known father ^{[8] [9]}.

At some stage (unknown) during his time in Tasmania, William was recorded as being "invalided" (of no recorded cause). He also appears to have either deliberately dropped the Butterworth portion of his name (or had it dropped for him, by journalists, who also frequently refer to him as "William Sharpless").

In 1825, he appears to have attempted some legal hijinks, when he was fined £5 for "purchasing a pair of trowsers [sic] from a private of the 57th" ^[10]. The article is prefaced by the statement, "We beg to offer a caution against purchasing, or trafficking in any way with the property belong to the Crown."

In 1827, William and Emma's young daughter Frances (Fanny) died tragically at the hands of a former convict named William Fowler^{[6] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]}. Shy of a year later, in 1828, Emma died ^[17] - only two weeks before Fowler received the death penalty.

William was evidently either seen as unfit to continue parenting his son (and purported remaining daughter - though records do not indicate what became of her), or disinterested in continuing his parenting role. As a result, son Henry was admitted to the Queen's Orphan Asylum in Hobart^[9].

William was granted his Certificate of Freedom in 1829 ^[18]. He had little time to enjoy it, for his body was found in October 1830, having accidentally drowned after bathing in "a state of intoxication" in the River Derwent ^[19]. No burial record has been found.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Collated Convict Records: Founders & Survivors, “Search convicts” database, Founders & Survivors: Australian Life Courses in Historical Context 1803-1920 (http://www.foundersandsurvivors.org/pubsearch/convict/chain/c31a31380075 : accessed 31 July 2023), entry for Wm|William|William Butterworth Sharpless|Butterworth|Sharples.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Criminal Trial: "William Butterworth Sharples in the Lancashire, England, Quarter Session Records and Petitions, 1648." 1908 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1117014:6820?indiv=try&h&db. Accessed 9 May. 2023.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Criminal Register: "Lancashire, England, Quarter Session Records and Petitions, 1648-1908"
   Lancashire Quarter Sessions Records and Petitions, 17th-19th Century. Microfilm. Lancashire Record Office, Preston, England
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6820 #1117014 (accessed 19 July 2023)
   Name: William Butterworth Sharples; Event Date: Mar 1815; Event Place: Lancaster, Lancashire, England; Session: Midsummer; Quarter Session Place: Lancashire; Record Type: Petitions; Year range: 1815; Reference Information: QSP 2683/1-47
4. ↑ Note: Frances/Fanny was born with the surname Groom, but newspaper articles often used the surname Sharpless, even though she was never (officially) given any variation of her father's surname. For reasons unknown, she was buried as Francis (not Frances) Groom.
5. ↑
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Acquittal of William Fowler in ‘Fanny Sharpless’ Trial; 1827 Newspaper: "Trove, National Library of Australia"
   The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), Fri 17 Aug 1827, Page 3 : FROM THE COLONIAL TIMES.
   Trove Article (accessed 30 July 2023)
7. ↑ Birth of son Henry Groom: Libraries Tasmania, “Online Collection Name Indexes” database, Libraries Tasmania (https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Record/NamesIndex/1078371 : accessed 31 July 2023), birth entry for Groom, Henry. Born 28 July 1819. Mother: Emma Groom, Father: Not recorded.
8. ↑ Census of son Henry Groom: Libraries Tasmania, “Online Collection Name Indexes” database, Libraries Tasmania (https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Record/NamesIndex/1613019 : accessed 31 July 2023), entry for Groom, Henry (Census).
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Education Record of son Henry Groom: Friends of the Orphan Schools (National Trust Tasmania), “Orphan Number: 2246” database, Friends of the Orphan Schools St John's Park Precinct New Town, Tasmania (https://www.orphanschool.org.au/showorphan.php?orphan_ID=2246# : accessed 29 July 2023), entry for Henry GROOM.
10. ↑ William Sharpless Fined £5; 1825 Newspaper: "Trove, National Library of Australia"
    The Hobart Town Gazette (Tas. : 1825 - 1833), Sat 26 Nov 1825, Page 2 : POLICE OFFICE NEWS.
    Trove Article (accessed 30 July 2023)
11. ↑ ’A Monster’; 1827 Newspaper: "Trove, National Library of Australia"
    Colonial Times and Tasmanian Advertiser (Hobart, Tas. : 1825 - 1827), Fri 6 Jul 1827, Page 4 : A Monster.
    Trove Article (accessed 30 July 2023)
12. ↑ 1827 Newspaper: "Trove, National Library of Australia"
    Colonial Times and Tasmanian Advertiser (Hobart, Tas. : 1825 - 1827), Fri 31 Aug 1827, Page 2 : Colonial Times.
    Trove Article (accessed 30 July 2023)
13. ↑ 1827 Newspaper: "Trove, National Library of Australia"
    The Hobart Town Gazette (Tas. : 1825 - 1833), Sat 30 Jun 1827, Page 2 : HOBART-TOWN:
    Trove Article (accessed 30 July 2023)
14. ↑ ’Fanny Groom’; 1827 Newspaper: "Trove, National Library of Australia"
    The Hobart Town Gazette (Tas. : 1825 - 1833), Sat 29 Sep 1827, Page 6 : HOBART-TOWN, SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 1827.
    Trove Article (accessed 30 July 2023)
15. ↑ Acquittal of William Fowler in ‘Fanny Sharpless’ Trial; 1827 Newspaper: "Trove, National Library of Australia"
    The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), Fri 17 Aug 1827, Page 3 : FROM THE COLONIAL TIMES.
    Trove Article (accessed 30 July 2023)
16. ↑ 1828 Newspaper: "Trove, National Library of Australia"
    The Tasmanian (Hobart Town, Tas. : 1827 - 1839), Fri 1 Feb 1828, Page 2 : SUPREME COURT CRIMINAL SIDE.
    Trove Article (accessed 30 July 2023)
17. ↑ Death of Emma Groom: Libraries Tasmania. Online Collection Name Indexes. Emma Groom, Death. Registration number: RGD34/1/1 no 1654, Registration Place: Hobart. Age: 33. Accessed 31 July 2023. https://libraries.tas.gov.au/Record/NamesIndex/1177255.
18. ↑ Certificate of Freedom; 1829 Newspaper: "Trove, National Library of Australia"
    Launceston Advertiser (Tas. : 1829 - 1846), Mon 14 Sep 1829, Page 2 : FROM THE GAZETTE OF SATURDAY.
    Trove Article (accessed 30 July 2023)
19. ↑ Death of William Sharpless; 1830 Newspaper: "Trove, National Library of Australia"
    The Hobart Town Courier (Tas. : 1827 - 1839), Sat 9 Oct 1830, Page 2 : The Courier.
    Trove Article (accessed 30 July 2023)