SHARP  OF  BOSTON

Operating from Boston to Freiston Shore along the north bank of the Witham

Originally Charles Alfred Sharp, this business became A (Eric) Sharp of Boston. The business with the Freiston bus route is believed to have been acquired from Battle in 1950. At some time in the earlier days the base was in Sutterton, where the former charabanc belonging to Thorougoods was based.  Sharp's bus service operated through the sparsely populated countryside on the north bank of the river Witham from Boston to Fishtoft and Freiston. Typically the fleet would be five or six Bedford vehicles in a red and cream livery, including OBs and OWBs.  A family business, Eric and wife Mary, and in 1954 the bus service was popular enough to require the provision of three vehicles on the route. In 1964 the fleet numbered five, all Bedfords, three OB, one SB and a 7-seater. A visitor noted their immaculate condition and turn out.

The Sharp's business was sold to coach firm Hogg of nearby Benington in 1978. This was Hogg's first foray into bus operation (they also ran the petrol filling station in Benington). With express service deregulation in 1980 Hogg introduced a twice weekly service from Boston and Spalding to London (this was continued by Brylaine until 1999). In turn the Hogg business, founded in 1958, with depots at Peck Avenue in Boston, Benington and Coningsby, was sold to Brylaine in 1990.  The Coningsby depot had been acquired by Hogg with the nine vehicle business of Milsons of Coningsby (established 1923) in 1979.

Illustrated below is an undated timetable from this operator, perhaps from the late 1950s or early 1960s.  There are handwritten additions on the back giving additional journeys on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays during the school holidays:

        9.00 am and 4.30 pm  Boston to Freiston Shore

        2.20 pm  Freiston Shore to Boston

The bus route left Boston across the Vauxhall Road bridge over the Maud Foster drain and then along Freiston Road.  There were two variations to reach the destination at Freiston Shore, (a) via White House Hospital, Halfway House and Fishtoft village then to Freiston Shore or (b) contunuing further eastwards along Freiston Road past Hawthorn Tree to Freiston Village and then on to Freiston Shore.  The short workings to Fishtoft operated as an anti-clockwise circular via White House Hospital and Halfway House to Fishtoft village, returning via Hawthorn Tree and Freiston Road. Lincolnshire Road Car service 63 also ran between Boston and Freiston Village, but on Wednesdays and Saturdays only.  On those two days most of Sharp's runs went via the Fishtoft route rather than via Freiston.  As can be seen the depot was in Pipe Office Lane in Boston - next to where the bus station now is.  The departure point for the Freiston service was a little way away across the river in Main Ridge, off the Market Place.  Sharp also ran daily workers services from Wrangle, Heckington and Frithville to and from the former Fogarty bedding factory west of Fishtoft.

There were attempts in earlier years to make Freiston Shore a seaside resort but these were short-lived, and today Freiston Shore is a thriving RSPB Nature Reserve.  This is the biggest example of such a project in the United Kingdom and over 150 bird species are recorded here each year. 

It was always a popular spot to visit for Bostonians however, as evidenced by journey possibilities in the timetable for trips outwards from the market town of Boston as well as shopping and market day (Wednesday) trips into town.  Plummers Hotel, which was bult in the mid eighteenth century, was a favourite with visitors. Twentieth-century land management and reclamation has altered the shore line and left the original seaside high and dry, now several fields away from the shores of the Wash. 

The first of many tales and clippings regarding Sharp's Coaches.

Many years ago, whilst suffering a bout of ill health my Grandfather Charles Afred Sharp (Eric's Dad) remarked to the then young Eric, one day I'll buy that piece of land yonder and open a garage on the site. He did and then started Sharps Coaches there too, the legend across the back of the Bedford Coaches later read Chas. A. Sharp - nobody ever did catch Charlie, he was too quick. Reputed to be the first dealer to sell Model T Fords in Lincolnshire.

with many thanks to John Brogden for the loan of the timetable,

and special thanks to Gordon Sharp for the photographs and family reminiscences;

and incorporating also information from articles and publications

by Roy Marshall and David Kaye found in the libraries of Lincolnshire