Robert Charles Sharman (1928–2018)

Abstract

Bob Sharman died peacefully in Hobart on 28 August 2018, just short of 90 years old. Providing an account of his life and achievements is, for us, a sad and important task. We knew him as a friend and professional colleague. As well, one of us shared his strong interest in Tasmanian history and the challenges of leading an archival organisation, while the other was one of his students when he lectured at the Canberra College of Advanced Education in 1971 and was on the ASA Council in the early 1990s when he was its Treasurer. What follows is confined to his career and contributions primarily as an archivist. Some mention of his many connections to the library world will also be made although this inevitably leaves out many other areas. Pre-eminent among them was his foundational and lifelong membership of the Tasmanian Historical Research Association (THRA). He was an early invitee to give its prestigious Eldershaw Lecture, joining a who’s who of leading Australian historians. Fittingly, his last published work was a 60th anniversary history of the Association published in its Papers and Proceedings in December 2011; the following year he was made its Patron. Bob’s family, religious and private life are also not our concern here, but some brief mention needs to be made of two aspects of his personal life to which he refers in his Bob Sharman, credit Tim Robinson ARCHIVES AND MANUSCRIPTS 2018, VOL. 46, NO. 3, 354–362 https://doi.org/10.1080/01576895.2019.1569579