Sharpe’s father….

A youthful Joseph Fouche.

Irony? You mention him as an early mentor of Pierre Ducos!

Jeff Partridge

 

I think your clue suggests Sharpe’s Father was not known but was simply a …Whoremaster

Fintan Spode

 

Quick few guesses on Sharpe’s Father (admittedly with much thinking behind them):

– ‘Jack Nory’? – from the English nursery rhyme (and story telling based TV series)?

– ‘King Cole’? – again, nursery rhyme origin

Many thanks.

Gareth

 

I’ve spent far too long on solving the mystery of Sharpe’s father but I think I (finally) have it.

Elijah Rebow from the book Mehalah by S Baring-Gould.

The timing fits. He’s fictional / legendary, a rouge, a smuggler, from South Essex (specifically the salt marshes around the Blackwater and the Crouch) and probably of Huguenot / French descent. He’s never ridden a horse, not of royal blood, not in the military and his features tie in with Sharpe in the books (dark, rugged, strong).

If I am wrong this time, I’m stumped. At least I have the War of the Wolf to look forward to.

Thanks as always

Eddie T

 

Hi Bernard,

The identity of Sharpe’s Father has my head just about ready to implode! I’d like to offer up Sir Percy Blakeney aka The Scarlett Pimpernell as a guess. For want of a better term he’s pretty much a people smuggler.

I’d also like to suggest the villain Citizen Chauvelin, who I think was modelled on François-Bernard de Chauvelin, the Marquis de Grosbois.

Based on recent feedback I have one other idea which that it may be Abel Magwitch.

I sense we’re getting close to the answer…so I’ll keep working at it regardless.

Many Thanks

Russell Sloan

 

Based on previous guesses that the THINK IRONY clue is not linked with name or profession I’m inclined to think it’s to do with location, namely South Essex given your own personal links to that area.

Also out of the last lot of guesses you answered you said one was VERY close, I’m hoping it was mine as you have previously said almost all the others were incorrect at one time or another (or in my personal opinion they don’t fit the clues you have given).

So based on my previous guess, I would like to nominate his known accomplices namely:

William Dowsett

John Dowsett

James Wiseman

and Emberson (I have been unable to find his first name).

Thank you again for the books and taking the time to answer mine and others questions. If you ever plan to write a book about smugglers I’m becoming quite the authority on the subject and would be happy to help.

All the best

Eddie T

 

Dear Mr. Cornwell

May I ask you, is MacHeath the father of Richard Sharpe? Sharpe was born in June 1777 and the premiere of the Opera Polly with MacHeath as protagonist took place in London in June 1777. This can’t be a coincidence. Lizzie Sharpe, the mother of Richard sounds similar to Lucy Lockit, one of the lovers of MacHeath; perhaps she changed her name to Sharpe after the Events with Macheath and Polly Macheath are eight letters; it is ironic, that Sharpes father was a womanizer and smuggler The writer of The Beggars Opera and Polly was a man called John Gay (Gay is happy). If I take you=y out of Gay I get Ga, if I put me in, it is Game Game isn’t exactly a horse, but perhaps a wild horse would also do it (I am not an english native and I am not sure if a wild horse is also a kind of game.

What do you think about my solution?

Yours sincerely

Michael Heeb

 

Another stab in the dark….Sharpe’s father is Jean Gudin. SPOILER: The irony being that he ‘served’ under Gudin whilst posing as a turncoat in Sharpe’s Tiger. Both men also had a healthy soldier’s respect for each other. Only thing is I’m not sure about Gudin’s age; for all I know he might be only ten years older than Sharpe!

Robert Douglas

 

Hi Bernard,

Tom Jones (Foundling) of Fielding fame??

Not the Welsh singer:-)

He certainly went to London, was a likeable rogue and a bit of a ladies man….links to the army too!

Regards

Danny