Biography
George W. Sharples was born in Wigan, Lancashire, England in 1938 to a British soldier and his Maltese wife. It was in 1941 when his father was posted to Malta during the second World War where unfortunately he died during enemy action.

However George was then brought up in Malta and eventually married Marie taking up residence in Malta. He has two daughters Brigid and Josette both married and living in England.

His frequent long sojourns in U.K. has made him keep in contact with friends whenever he attends Magic Conventions.

George is a qualified Electronic Engineer by profession and accredited in Labour and Social studies from the University of Malta. He was employed by Malta Drydocks Corporation where he held various managerial positions.

Now fully retired he finds more time to enjoy his one passion the art of magic as entertainment and writing poetry. An anthology of poetry is found on the web site under the heading "Fragments of Inner Feelings". (See links at the bottom of this site)

He has other activities to keep him well occupied which are painting in acrylics and oil on canvas and pen drawings. This followed after he studied History of Art and design at the School of Arts for three years. A few of his paintings are privately owned by friends in England. Another hobby he enjoys researching on is Playing Cards and he has quite a collection of Playing cards and many unique single cards.

 

 

                         

                   Link:-     The World of Playing Cards

 

                                                                             

 

                                  Early Life in Magic

At an early age with his brother Alfred they started to bewilder their friends with simple tricks they used to buy from Ellisdons in England which was a big departmental store. But most of the props they eventually used were based on their original ideas built with their own skilful hands.

Performing under the name of Les Sharps their popularity reached its climax in the early sixties when they were among the first local artistes to appear on the National TV channel when it opened in 1962. Together with their own programme aptly called "The Magic Wand" they also presented the first ever "Les Sharps Puppet Theatre" where a clown and a magician they manipulated performed magical effects.

 

 
 

Picture shows Les Levante on the right discussing magic with the Sharples brothers

 

 

Picture shows George with the Trophy won for the best IBM Ring for the project of the year 1983

 

 

 

 

                    Magic Websites

                      

The International Brotherhood of Magicians

The Magicians Society - IBM Ring 202

Mark Farrar's Magic Links

In their workshop, which was in the basement of Alfred's house they had shelves stacked with original apparatus and electronic gadgetry manufactured by George. They also had a small theatre, which they used for rehearsals and small shows for their relatives.

Here they worked out many of their ideas, variations in routines and perfecting effects. They are also proud to recall having Les Levante (picture on left) visiting them at their house when he was on his last performance tour. He had stopped at Malta on his way back to his native country Australia after he spent many years of his performing years in Britain and where also he was a Past President of the British I.B.M Ring No.25.

The Magicians Society - I. B. M. Ring 202

In 1963 George and Alfred became the first Maltese members of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. However their love and success in the art led them on to decide forming the first Magic Club in Malta. It was then in 1967 that George and two other local magicians gave it birth.

Then with the help of the Sharples Brothers and their late friend Bill Stickland (who at the time was the Secretary of the British Ring IBM No.25 and of which they were also members) were instrumental in obtaining for the Club International recognition.

This was the culmination of their efforts to obtain charter membership and the club came to be known as IBM Ring 202.

George was a past president and secretary of the club when three magic festivals in succession were organised for the public. He was also responsible twice for the Ring winning the IBM Ring Award and gave birth to the first issues of the Society's magazine "Is-Sahhar (The Wizard).

In 1975 the Club as disbanded for many reasons, one of which George had taken up residence for a while in England to work for his employer. Then in 1979 the Ring was re-instated with the help of Vanni Pule, Chris Gove' and Louis Abela and now officially known as The Magicians Society IBM Ring 202

The Sharples brothers no longer work together as a duo and George only is still an active member. One memorable stage performance in 1971 was at the Manoel Theatre when George performed a variation of the Homicide Act Illusion using lit neon tubes apparently for the first time in magic illusions with his young daughter being "impaled" with the tubes.

Publications

George's passion for collecting different playing cards and being an avid reader of books on magic has made him find the satisfaction and time to invent and perform clever close-up card magic. Some of these effects are based on ingenious mathematical principles. His work together with his brother has also been rewarded with the publication of their book "Sharp Sorcery" published by Supreme in 1977. It is well worth to mention that in this book many dove routines performed with the doves they produced have been the inspiration for many circuses using doves. So much so that their dove effects have also appeared in books published by Ian Adair in his Dove Magic Encyclopaedias. Many of their original effects have also appeared in the Linking Ring's (the official publication of the IBM) Hocus Pocus Parades and their own parade was given an honourable mention.

 

Poetry site:Fragments of Inner Feelings

Physiotherapy and Clinical Pilates

                              Josette Farrugia   MCSP