Ernest Hamilton Sharp

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

Biography

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]

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]

He married Sarah Cunliffe, daughter of Roger Cunliffe, of Tunbridge Wells and had seven children. During his life in Hong Kong, he shared residence with Coloinal Secretary Dr. Claud Severn and the deputy registrar of the Supreme Court C. A. D. Melbourne. Sharp was also a Freemason in which he was a member of the Apollo Lodge, Oxford and was one of the founders of the Hong Kong University Lodge in 1913.^[1]

He died of chronic nephritis at the Peak Hospital on 9 February 1922.^[5] The funeral took place at the Protestant Cemetery, Happy Valley on the same day evening.^[6]

References