Thomas was living in Osbaldeston when his daughter Mary was baptized in 1703.
Possible christenings by various(?) Thomas SHARPLES refer to him as follows:
- Edmund 1691 - Thomas of Mellor
- Janne 1691 - Thomas of Mellor
- Henry 1693 - Thomas of Mellor
- Thomas 1695 - Thomas of Osbaldeston
- Unknown 1698 - Thomas of Mellor
- Henry May 1701 - Thomas of Osbaldeston husbandman
- Jennett May 1703 - Thomas of Mellor husbandman
- Mary Feb 1704 - Thomas of Osbaldes[ton] husbandman
- Thomas 1705 - Thomas of Mellor, webster
- Alice 1707 - Thomas of Mellor, webster
The final two may reflect a change in profession, or may be a different Thomas SHARPLES. A Thomas SHARPLES of Mellor, taylor baptized an unnamed son in May 1692 (incorrectly catalogued as Jane by IGI) who may be the father of Edmund, Janne, Henry and/or others listed above.
There are several possible marriages for Thomas SHARPLES:
- Ellen TURNER 19 Nov 1690 St Mary-the-Virgin, Blackburn, both of this parish
- Isabel PARKE 10 Nov 1692 St Mary-the-Virgin, Blackburn, both of this parish
- Ann DEWHURST 31 Aug 1699 St Mary-the-Virgin, Blackburn, Thomas SHARPLES of Pleasington
- Jennet SHARPLES of Samlesbury 24 Sep 1700, in Walton-le-Dale, Thomas SHARPLES of Blackburn
Of these Jennet SHARPLES seems best with those baptisms identifying Thomas as a husbandman following a tight 8 months after the marriage and the first daughter named Jennett in 1703. However a Jennet SHARPLES, widow of Samlesbury was buried on 12 Apr 1730 with a Thomas SHARPLES, weaver of Samlesbury, buried on 4 Sep 1726 also in Samlesbury. So it is likely that Jennet married a Samlesbury weaver, rather than a husbandman.
A will and inventory exists for:
- Thomas SHARPLES, husbandman of Longton (far side of Preston, so unlikely to be right Thomas)
- Thomas SHARPLES of Blackburn dated 11 May 1708
- Thomas SHARPLES weaver of Osbaldeston, Blackburn 1732 which might be the right Thomas
Other notes
Several other Thomas SHARPLES were christening children at St Mary-the-Virgin, Blackburn at the same time.
Thomas SHARPLES of Blackburn, webster
Thomas SHARPLES of Blackburn, joyner
Thomas SHARPLES of Witton
Thomas SHARPLES of Livesay
Thomas SHARPLES of Mellor, taylor
Thomas SHARPLES of Samlesbury (Thomas 1696, Ellen Dec 1700) - too soon before Henry in May 1701. Jennet SHARPLES marriage is too late for this Thomas
Thomas SHARPLES of Pleasington, yeoman
These baptisms have been ignored.
