Timeline
1820
George Scharf is born on 16 December 1820.
London population is 1,378,000.
1831
Scharf makes his first sketches.
Charles Darwin embarks on his historic journey aboard the HMS Beagle.
1838
Scharf enrols for the Royal Academy Schools.
1840
Scharf accompanies Sir Charles Fellows on his expedition to Asia Minor.
Queen Victoria marries Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg-Gotha.
1843
Scharf accompanies Sir Charles Fellows on a second trip to Asia Minor.
1848
Scharf is nominated 'special constable' responsible for preservation of public peace in the British Museum.
Scharf witnesses 'Monster Rally' of Chartists held on Kennington Common in London.
1850-1851
Scharf identifies a fragment of Parthenon frieze at Marbury Hall and visits the Great Exhibition.
The Great Exhibition opens in May 1851.
1854
The Great Exhibition Building - Crystal Palace - is moved and re-erected in an enlarged form at Sydenham in south London (Scharf helps with setting up the Greek and Roman displays.)
1857
Scharf acts as an 'Art Secretary' to the Art Treasures Exhibition in Manchester and is appointed Secretary to the newly founded National Portrait Gallery.
1866-1868
Scharf helps to organize the National Portrait Exhibitions in South Kensington Museums.
Benjamin Disraeli becomes Prime Minister.
1870
Scharf moves to 8 Ashley Place and National Portrait Gallery moves to South Kensington.
1878
Scharf participates in experiments with the telephone at the Royal Society.
Cleopatra’s Needle erected at Victoria Embankment.
1888-1890
Scharf helps to organise Stuart and Tudor exhibitions at the New Gallery, Regent Street. Funds for the new National Portrait Gallery building donated by W.H. Alexander.
Workers strike and form first trade unions in London.
1892
Scharf’s services to the Gallery extended, his health deteriorates.
Death and funeral of Lord Alfred Tennyson.
1895
Scharf dies on 19 April 1895 and is buried at the Brompton Cemetery.
London population reaches 6,000,000.