Evelyn Sharp, Baroness Sharp
Encyclopedia
Evelyn Adelaide Sharp, Baroness Sharp of Hornsey (1903-1985) was a British civil servant and the first women to hold the position of Permanent Secretary
, the most senior civil servant in a Ministry
.
, Middlesex, her parents were the Reverend Charles James Sharp, the Vicar of Ealing
, and his wife, the former Mary Frances Musgrave. She was educated at St Paul's Girls' School
where she captained the school at both cricket and netball. In 1922 she moved to Somerville College, Oxford
, where she obtained a second in Modern History.
. When the Ministry of Housing and Local Government
was formed she became the Deputy Secretary, in 1955 she was promoted to be the Permanent Secretary
. Sharp had become the first woman to be in the highest executive position with a Ministry and she worked for five different Ministers during her time. In 1961 was appointed a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of British Empire (GBE)
and unusual honour for a civil servant. She held the post to her retirement in 1966.
until 1973, in 1968 she created a life peer as Baroness Sharp of Hornsey. Sharp died, aged 82, on 1 September 1985.
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
, the most senior civil servant in a Ministry
Ministry (government department)
A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of government public administration, sometimes led by a minister or a senior public servant, that can have responsibility for one or more departments, agencies, bureaus, commissions or other smaller executive, advisory, managerial or...
.
Early life
Sharp was born on 25 May 1903 in HornseyHornsey
Hornsey is a district in London Borough of Haringey in north London in England. Whilst Hornsey was formerly the name of a parish and later a municipal borough of Middlesex, today, the name refers only to the London district. It is an inner-suburban area located north of Charing Cross.-Locale:The ...
, Middlesex, her parents were the Reverend Charles James Sharp, the Vicar of Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
, and his wife, the former Mary Frances Musgrave. She was educated at St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School is a senior independent school, located in Brook Green, Hammersmith, in West London, England.-History:In 1904 a new day school for girls was established by the trustees of the Dean Colet Foundation , which had run St Paul's School for boys since the sixteenth century...
where she captained the school at both cricket and netball. In 1922 she moved to Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first women's colleges to be founded there...
, where she obtained a second in Modern History.
Civil service
In 1926 she joined the civil service as an administrator, at first in the Board of Trade then the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health at the time was concerned with local government and this soon became her speciality. During the Second World War she was seconded to the Treasury. At the end of the war she became Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Town and Country Planning; within two years she was appointed a Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE)Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
. When the Ministry of Housing and Local Government
Ministry of Housing and Local Government
The Ministry of Housing and Local Government was a United Kingdom government department formed after the Second World War, covering the areas of housing and local government....
was formed she became the Deputy Secretary, in 1955 she was promoted to be the Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
The Permanent secretary, in most departments officially titled the permanent under-secretary of state , is the most senior civil servant of a British Government ministry, charged with running the department on a day-to-day basis...
. Sharp had become the first woman to be in the highest executive position with a Ministry and she worked for five different Ministers during her time. In 1961 was appointed a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of British Empire (GBE)
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
and unusual honour for a civil servant. She held the post to her retirement in 1966.
Retirement
When she retired in 1966 she became a member of the Independent Broadcasting AuthorityIndependent Broadcasting Authority
The Independent Broadcasting Authority was the regulatory body in the United Kingdom for commercial television - and commercial/independent radio broadcasts...
until 1973, in 1968 she created a life peer as Baroness Sharp of Hornsey. Sharp died, aged 82, on 1 September 1985.