The story of an eighteenth-century family and their extraordinary achievements.
Four brothers, three sisters. From a genteel, religious childhood in the north-east of England, the family would become known in London and across the country as 'The Good Sharps'. In 1781, the celebrated painter Johan Zoffany made the final strokes on the luminous portrait that attested to their rise, and to their remarkable unity and passion for life.
Ambitious, free-thinking and courageous, the Sharps were pioneers in the major movements that defined the eighteenth century - from politics and philanthropy to medicine and industry. John, an eminent priest and scholar, established a model welfare state and commissioned the world's first lifeboat; William became surgeon to George III; and James, a visionary engineer, transformed the transport network and agricultural practices. Most famously of all, Granville, the youngest son, battled tirelessly as Britain's leading campaigner for the abolition of the slave trade. Despite the social strictures of their day, Elizabeth, Judith and Frances claimed significant independence and played key roles in the family's musical concerts and famed boating parties.
In this vivid, moving biography, Hester Grant charts the siblings' shared journey to prominence, and explores the values and enduring bonds that inspired their success. The Good Sharps brings to life not just the family who realised that the future could be different, but the new world that they created.
