Nelson electorate from 1875 to 1879, when he resigned. During Sharp's term in Parliament he enabled Nelson to purchase from the Government the Nelson waterworks and gasworks. The Government had taken these over when the provinces were abolished. He stood unsuccessfully in the 1889 Nelson by-election. Mayor Sharp was the Mayor of Nelson from 1887 until 1890. He was first elected to replace Charles Fell who had resigned. Militia When the war broke out in the North in 1845, and after the destruction of Kororaraka the Governor, Captain FitzRoy, ordered the militia to be called out in Wellington, New Plymouth and Nelson A hundred men were to be balloted for in Nelson and divided into two companies of fifty each. No 1 Company was under Captain Dr Greenwood, Lieutenant Dr Renwick, Ensign Charles Thorpe of Motueka, and Sergeant, Gibson. No 2 Company was under Captain Dr Monro, Lieutenant, Dillon Bell, Ensign A.L.G. Campbell and Sergeant, Plumbridge. The Nelson militia Adjutant was Major Newcombe, a British Army officer and Quarter-master, Mr Seymour. Sharp was one of those balloted. He was placed in No 2 Company. Sharp was made a Corporal because he had had four years drill at college. The militia had a fife and drum band. Its leader was Knapp, father of Constable Knapp, of Spring Grove. The drummer was FitzRoy, an old drummer of the Life Guards. The reveille was at 5.30 am and drill twice daily from 6 am to 8 am and 5 pm to 6 pm so that the men could attend work during the day. The militia later became the Nelson Rifles. Sharp was one of its Captains and later an honorary member. He was also a volunteer firefighter, a member of the Nelson Bowling Club, and had the reputation as an excellent cricketer. References 1828 births 1919 deaths 19th-century New Zealand politicians 19th-century New Zealand public servants English emigrants to New Zealand Mayors of Nelson, New Zealand Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives New Zealand Freemasons New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates People from Maidstone