South Yorkshire Times, April 2, 1949

The Rev. William Harrop

Distinguished Son of Mexborough

A distinguished son of Mexborough, the Rev. William Harrop, died on March 23rd, at “Waserley” Hest Bank Lancashire, at the age of 84 years.

The interment took place on Saturday at, Christ Church (Congregational) Bolton-le-sands

Mr. Harrop was a member fo the oldest Mexborough family whose history according to the Parish Church records, goes back to 1643. Born of humble parents he lost his father when he was a boy. A tombstone in Mexborough Churchyard reveals that Mr. Harrop’s father died in May 1872, aged 30 years.

As a boy Mr. Harrop attended the Primitive Methodist (now the Central Methodist Sunday School and Church, and later often journeyed out to Marr, Stainton and other places to help with Sunday services. There were neither cars nor buses in those days, but zeal for the work proved an abiding incentive. Subsequently he joined the Congregational Union, attending Parton College, and from there went to the Manchester Mission. It was in Manchester that he formed an association with the late D. L Moody of Moody and Sankey fame. He was Moody’s personal attendant all through that last mission.

Eventually he undertook the duty of Pastor at Wyke and Gomersall, later to Further Gate Church Blackburn and then back into Yorkshire at Brighouse and finally to Hornsea, where he met many old Mexborough friends on holiday at that resort.

Remembered Home Town

In his retirement he went to Bolton-le-Sands where he joined whole heartedly again in service to the Congregational Church

He was always keenly interested in the welfare of his old home town and one of the last things he did was to send a gift to the Parish Church Appeal.

He leaves a widow, and daughter whose husband, the Rev. Dr. Albert Peel M.A., is widely known as a writer, and a former editor of the Congregational Quarterly, and one of the two speakers in St. Paul’s Cathedral at the recent “Isaac Watts” service.

Mrs. E. Coe now resident with her son, Joseph, at Denby is the last remaining, member of the family.

Mr. Harrop was the cousin of Mr. F. H. Harrop and Mr. D L. Harrop of Mexborough, and the latter attended the funeral on Saturday.