Sharpe Family

Doug was the eldest son of Dorothy Irene Sharpe (nee Nelmes). We can see the influence for music and involvement with the Salvation Army, as Dorothy had grown up in Tenterfield and had her own music shop and performed at the Tenterfield School of Arts. In later years she was involved with the Salvation Army in Sydney where her son, Doug became involved.

Doug's Grandfather was Archie Nelmes. 

Doug was a leading businessman and builder who built the business that designed and constructed residential and commercial properties in regional New South Wales. The family business expanded to include earthmoving and bitumen sealing work and infrastructure projects.

Doug was an enthusiastic member of The Salvation Army and built the Salvation Army Hall at Umina Beach. This photo shows Doug handing over the keys to the new Church Hall in 1961.

Doug was a highly respected member of the community, including as a member of The Salvation Army Band, the Gosford Musical Society and the local Barbershop Chorus. 

Doug Sharpe passed away at the age of 53 due to cancer. The church was overflowing with people who had been involved with Doug and his family across a wide range of groups. Through his actions, Doug demonstrated determination in business and a willingness to support the community. He set an example for generations to come.

During the nineteen fifties and sixties the Sharpe Family were in the business of development and building construction. Asphalt operations and infrastructure projects commenced in 1970. The Sharpe Family has a strong history of service and is involved across a wide range of Australian industries. 

Dorothy Nelmes had previously been married to Aaron Spence who was the father of Doug. Their family home was at Mosman, in Sydney. We can picture them walking as a family with the crowds over the new Sydney Harbour Bridge which opened in March 1932.

Tragedy struck in August 1932.

The newspapers reported - Mr. Aaron Woodhouse Gordon Spence (45), commercial traveller, of Mosman, dropped dead in Haydon-street, Murrurundi, on Thursday morning. Deceased, who travels by car, was accompanied by his wife and two children, and they had camped the previous evening at the southern end of the town. Feeling ill, Mr. Spence on Thursday morning came to town by himself, to see a doctor, and as he stepped from his car in front of Dr. Beith's residence, he was seen to fall. The Government medical officer was informed, and life was -pronounced extinct.

Sources: 

- Sydney Morning Herald, 25 November 1932

- The Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser, 25 November 1932.

- Newcastle Morning Herald, 25 November 1932.

Doug was just three years old.

Three years later, in 1935, Dorothy married Russell Balham Sharpe.

Doug and Merle Sharpe (nee Bailey) were married in 1948.

They moved to Umina Beach in 1959.

2008 - The Member for Gosford, Marie Andrews MP and the Minister for Ageing, and Minister for Disability Services, the Hon. Kristina Keneally presented a New South Wales Government Community Service Award to Mrs Merle Sharpe, a member of the Salvation Army for 46 years. 

Marie Andrews MP said - 

"As a senior soldier with the Salvation Army at Umina her role includes serving on the Red Shield Appeal Committee, as home league secretary, and as a recruitment sergeant. She is also a community care worker who conducts public and home visits. Merle is a tireless worker for the Salvation Army, and is a regular visitor to both the Woy Woy community aged care and Peninsula aged care facilities." 

"I know that her visits are a great comfort to the elderly residents, who may have few family members living close by." 

"In the 1960s Merle was integral in establishing the Meals on Wheels service in Woy Woy. This service, which in recent times was renamed Gosford Food Services, is still going strong today, providing meals to frail aged and disabled residents."

Source - New South Wales Government Hansard, Community Service Awards - 2008

Doug and Merle Sharpe are the parents of Ron Sharpe OAM.

A book titled Significant Men of the Central Coast was compiled by Margaret Hardy in 2009.

Margaret states that "Each man has strengthened our community with their endeavors to achieve improvements to the quality of life in our society". "The characters of the men in this book were often formed in their early years by examples set by their own parents, their experiences or by their belonging to an organisation with similar values to their own."... "Every man in this book has enjoyed being part of his community or profession where he has been able to help others. Without volunteers and people with vision, our world would be less embracing."

From the book -

Ron Sharpe was named Citizen of the Year in the 2005 Gosford City Australia Day Awards, for service to the community.

Later in the year of 2005, Ron whilst in Japan on business along with his wife Carol, visited Mayor Tada, at Gosford's sister city of Edogawa, representing Gosford as Citizen of the Year. They exchanged small gifts and then Mayor Tada escorted Ron and Carol to the Gosford Room where gifts from the many delegations to Edogawa are on display. Mayor Tada stated how proud he was of the association Edogawa and Gosford City share.

In 2006 Ron was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for service to the community of the Gosford region through a range of service and social welfare organisations. Ron currently serves on the NSW board of the Order of Australia Association and travels throughout New South Wales as a speaker and convener of regional activities. Ron was a charter member of the Umina Apex Club and held various positions over 20 years, including President in 1978 and District Governor in 1981. On the 5th may 1990, Ron was made a Life Member of Apex.

Ron was involved in many activities including fund raising for the Bank of New South Wales and Umina Apex Club rescue helicopter. It was christened on Umina Beach by the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Roden Cutler. In his speech Sir Roden said “this is the beginning of a new type of rescue tool.” How right he was when we look at all the helicopter rescue service teams operating today, eg The Westpac rescue helicopter service, the NRMA Careflight, the NSW ambulance helicopters, etc. After two years of operation Westpac fully took over the operation, and it has grown to what it is today - a valuable community service for those who are in need.

Ron was instrumental in the establishment of the Umina cash-a-can which was a magnificent fundraiser for the community for many years.

Ron attended both Umina primary and Woy Woy high school and has fond recollections of Umina in the early days when people knew each other in the street and had time to say hello and have a chat.

Ron is a licenced builder having served his apprenticeship under his father, Doug Sharpe. He won an award from the Master Builders Association whilst attending Gosford Technical College.

During the 1950s and 60s the Sharpe family were in the business of development and building construction. Asphalt operations commenced in 1970 as an extension of the family's business activities and today Ron's three sons, Michael, Richard and Hayden, operate as Joint Managing Directors of Sharpe Bros (Aust) Pty Ltd, an asphalt paving company which is providing innovative services for road surfacing and maintenance operations throughout Australia. Famous for the trademark colour green, the company's various trucks and machines carrying the green trade mark can be identified at the site of all major road surfacing, building, construction and maintenance projects Australia wide.

Sharpe Bros was awarded Business of the Year in the 2009 Gosford City Australia Day Awards and has been named NSW Family Business of the Year by the peak body for families in business, Family Business Australia. Sharpe Bros has won the New South Wales WorkCover Award and the National Safe Work Australia award for best workplace health and safety practises.

Joint Managing Directors of the company, brothers Hayden, Richard and Michael, are involved in providing support to community groups through donations, partnerships, volunteering and community sponsorships. In particular, the Sharpe brothers are supporters of Apex, Rotary and various Chambers of Commerce. With their investment in new technologies, new machinery and innovative safety programs, Sharpe Bros has provided employment opportunities for local people. They also entered into a $25,000 sponsorship arrangement with the Gosford Regional Gallery at East Gosford, which includes an “Emerging Young Artist Prize,” the “Sharpe Bros Art Prize,” and the “Sharpe Bros Roadworkers Prize.” This much valued support gives incentive to artists and the gallery.

See the Sharpe Family Tree here

London - James Blackman b 1759 married Elizabeth Harley and they sailed to Sydney.     

Sydney - Their daughter Mary Ann Blackman b 1803 married Josephus Henry Barsden          

Bathurst - Their daughter Mary Ann Barsden b 1824 married William Richard Smith          

Essington - Their son William Henry Smith b 1840 married Emma Humphries         

Oberon - Their daughter Sara Rose Mary Smith b 1865 married George Bailey          

Sydney - Their son Victor Ernest Bailey b 1898 married Sylvia Olds         

Sydney - Their daughter Merle Winifred Bailey married Douglas Woodhouse Sharpe.         

Gosford - Their son Ronald Douglas Sharpe b 1950 married Caroline Curby          

Gosford - Their son Michael Douglas Sharpe married Elizabeth French and they have three children and two grandchildren.

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.