Sharples completed an apprenticeship as a house painter and found work in Manchester with the London and North Western Railway.
He was active in a local trade union, and in 1856 he persuaded both it and a rival painters' society in the city to join a new alliance, which became known as the Manchester Alliance of Operative House Painters.
Sharples was appointed as his replacement, and immediately began issuing regular reports on the progress of the society.
However, he made no other changes to the very loose alliance, which resulted in large fluctuations in its membership as branches joined and left.
That year, the General Council began issuing circulars claiming that Sharples was incompetent, ignoring letters and sometimes giving illegal advice, while the Executive Council issued circulars defending him.