David Sharp was born in 1932 in Hackney, East London. The product of a broken home, he was taken in charge of the church and when he was eight was sent to foster parents in Sutton Valence, Kent. They were caring parents, who noticed his talent for art and decided that he should go to art school when his conventional education was finished. Duly he enrolled in a two-year foundation course at Maidstone School of Art.

During a summer holiday he visited the charming little town of Rye, just over the Kent border in Sussex. He saw the Rye Pottery and his interest in ceramics was born. In 1947 he became Rye Pottery's first apprentice. He worked for them for six years, learning the necessary skills for a potter, before being called up to serve his country in the army. During his National Service his talents as a boxer and as a musician came to the fore.

When he returned to the pottery two things had changed - the pottery and him. Rye Pottery had grown and become more commercial, concentrating less on studio pottery and more on commercial runs, and David had seen a lot more of the world. He had itchy feet and in 1956 left to form Rye Art Pottery, which later became Cinque Port Pottery, (note singular 'Port'), with his friend George Gray.

When the partnership dissolved, David stayed at the existing Cinque Ports Pottery (which had now become plural) premises at The Mint. David's new company was named the David Sharp Pottery.

Further Reading:

The Potteries of Rye, 1793 onwards by Carol Cashmore