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Charles Wallace Sharp
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Building contractor, municipal official.
Born in Salisbury, England on 22 June 1852, he came to Winnipeg in 1873, soon becoming prominent in theatrical circles. For some time he was manager of the old Princess Theatre, at the corner of Princess Street and Ross Avenue. In 1883, in partnership with Robert Gerrie, he bought the theatre. He also owned a roller skating rink. In partnership with his half-brother James W. Smith, he founded the firm of Smith and Sharp that was responsible for the construction of many early buildings in Winnipeg, and the Western Construction Company (1904). In addition to his contracting business, he was a director of the Manitoba Gypsum Company and Canadian Industrial Exhibition Association.
In 1879, he married Mary Louisa Leckie (1857-1945) with whom he had seven children: Louisa Jane Sharp (1881-?, wife of Percy S. White), Grace Belle Sharp (1884-?, wife of J. R. Higgins), George Wallace Sharp, Irene Marie Sharp (1888-?, wife of Frederick William Harper), Milton Hoffe Sharp (1892-?), Charles Monckto Sharp (1895-?), and Cedric Sharp (1897-?). The Sharp family built a home on Wellington Crescent, next door to John James Borebank. He served on the board of the Winnipeg Playgrounds Association. After years of service on the Winnipeg Public Parks Board, he was appointed Chairman and served in that capacity for several years until the end of 1914. He was a member of the Masons and Central Congregational Church.
He died at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on 30 September 1924 due to injuries sustained in a fall. His body was returned to Winnipeg for burial in the Elmwood Cemetery.
Some of his construction works in Manitoba included:
Building
Location
Year
Status
Grand Pacific Hotel
Main Street, Winnipeg
?
353 St. Mary Avenue, Winnipeg
?
302-304 Main Street, Winnipeg
1904
Demolished (1970s)
380 William Avenue, Winnipeg
1905
John M. King School (with James W. Smith and Sinclair Balsor Ritchie)
649 Ellice Avenue
1905
Demolished (1964)
563 William Avenue, Winnipeg
1906
177 Lombard Avenue, Winnipeg
1909-1911
298 Garry Street, Winnipeg
1909
554 Main Street, Winnipeg
1910
333 Main Street, Winnipeg
1910-1911
Demolished (1980)
64 Middle Gate, Winnipeg)
1913
CPR Sleeping Car Building
Winnipeg
?
See also:
Memorable Manitobans: James W. Smith (1843-1917)
1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.
Birth, marriage, and death registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
“Chas. W. Sharp dies as result of accident,” Manitoba Free Press, 2 October 1924. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B8]
“Chas. W. Sharp laid to rest,” Winnipeg Tribune, 3 October 1924, page 11.
We thank Jordan Makichuk for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Harry Shave and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 3 August 2024
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