Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe

Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe (15 May 1781 – 17 March 1851) was a Scottish antiquary and artist.

Life He was the second son of Charles Sharpe (originally Charles Kirkpatrick) of Hoddam, Dumfriesshire, by Eleonora, youngest daughter of John Renton of Lamerton, born on 15 May 1781. He went to Edinburgh for schooling in 1796, and in October of that year joined John Robison's class at Edinburgh University. He returned home in May 1798.

With a view to taking orders in the Scottish Episcopal Church, Sharpe matriculated in 1798 at Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. 17 June 1802, and M.A. 28 June 1806. Not fitting in at his college in terms of social activity, he devoted himself mainly to antiquarian research and drawing.

Instead of entering the church, Sharpe took up residence in Edinburgh in 1827, first living at 93 Princes Street a fine house facing directly onto Edinburgh Castle. He later moved to 28 Drummond Place in Edinburgh's Second New Town.

Whilst being a welcome guest in society, he was in fact a literary recluse, who made no effort to keep up with fashion in his dress. Sharpe died unmarried, 17 March 1851. Sharpe contributed ballads to the second volume of Walter Scott's Border Minstrelsy. In 1807 he also published at Oxford Metrical Legends and other Poems. In 1823 he published his Ballad Book, which in 1880 was re-edited by David Laing, with additions from Sharpe's manuscripts. To Laing's edition of William Stenhouse's notes to James Johnson's Scots Musical Museum (1853), he made some contributions.

The Letters to and from C. K. Sharpe (1888) were edited by Alexander Allardyce, 1888.