Hercules Brabazon Brabazon (Sharpe) 1821-1906

Hercules Brabazon Brabazon 1821-1906 was born Hercules Brabazon Sharpe, the nephew of Sir William Brabazon Bart. of Brabazon Park, Swinford, Co Mayo, Ireland. He inherited the Brabazon estates on the death of his elder brother William in 1847 and the Sharpe estates on the death of his father in 1858. HBB's main residence was Oaklands, Sedlescombe, Surrey, leaving his nephew Harvey Combe to manage the Irish property. He also had an apartment in Morpeth Terrace, just behind what is now Westminster Cathedral (RC).

He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge where he studied mathematics and later entered the legal profession. However, with his inherited wealth he could afford to travel widely, capturing the scenery in his impressionistic watercolours.
His social circle encompassed many of the leading names in the music and painting world, including Liszt and John Singer Sargent. Brabazon was a leading member of the New English Art Club, holding his first one-man exhibition at the age of 71. He was much praised by Ruskin and Sir Federick Wedmore wrote of him, "a country gentleman, who at seventy years old made his debut as a professional artist, and straightway became famous".
He was unmarried and left his estates to his nephew Harvey Combe of Oaklands. The Combe lineage, although no longer at their country seat, has continued to the present day. Eileen (Combe) Barber was the last of the family to live at Sedlescombe and she has a daughter Robin Brabazon Wells and two grandsons, Robert and Patrick

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