Leonard's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Leonard Harrop was baptised at St Michael's Church, Macclesfield on 20 April 1882, the son of Emma Harrop (a father, John Harrop, a farm labourer of Gawsworth, was named in the baptism register but Emma was not married). The following year, Emma married James Poyser at St Peter's Church, Windmill St, Macclesfield.
In 1891, eight-year-old Leonard was living at 49 Higginbotham Street, Macclesfield (now South Park Street) with his mother and stepfather, and siblings Mary L Harrop (18), William H Poyser (6) and John J Poyser (2).
Leonard was educated at St George's Day School and also spent some time at Macclesfield Industrial School, leaving in 1898.
At the age of 18, Leonard enlisted in the Northamptonshire Regiment and served in Africa during the Boer War, afterwards serving for eight years in India. By 1911 he had returned to England and was recorded in the census as a drummer, living at the regimental depot at Leicester Road, Northampton.
Leonard's mother died in 1906 and his next of kin was his widowed older sister, Mary Letitia Mellor, of 79 High Street, Macclesfield.
WW1 SERVICE
Leonard Harrop enlisted in Portland, Dorset (the location of a training depot for the Northamptonshire Regiment) and was drafted overseas on 8 November 1914. On 13 June 1915 he was admitted to the 2nd General Hospital, Le Havre, suffering from shock; he was discharged five days later.
During his service Private Harrop was promoted to Corporal, and was posthumously mentioned in dispatches (London Gazette, 25 May 1917, Vol 30093 page 5160).
Corporal Harrop's death was reported in the Macclesfield Times on 13 April 1917:
CORPORAL L HARROP – ONE OF THE FIRST TO GO OUT
We regret to announce the death of Corporal L Harrop (6221), late of 79 High Street, Macclesfield, who was killed in action on March 4th, 1917 “somewhere in France.” The deceased was educated at the St George’s Day School, and attended St John’s Sunday School when a boy. He enlisted when 18 years old in the 2nd Northampton Regiment (“C” Company) and was drafted out to South Africa soon after the Boer War commenced. At the conclusion of hostilities his regiment was sent out India, where he stayed for eight years. The last two years of his time were spent in the Barracks at Northampton Depot as a drummer and bugler.
When the European war broke out he was called up as a Reservist, and went out to France… He took part in the hottest engagements… and was wounded twice and gassed once. He was mentioned in dispatches for bravery and raised to the rank of Corporal. The deceased was 36 [sic] years of age, and had been in France two years and seven months. He was always proud of being one of Sir John French’s “contemptible little army,” and… he was the possessor of the Queen Victoria and King Edward medals.
COMMEMORATION
Corporal Leonard Harrop is buried in grave ref. VII. C. 22. in the Fins New British Cemetery, Sorel Le Grand, Somme, France. His sister asked for the words "AFTER STRIFE, PEACE" to be inscribed on his headstone.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Corporal Leonard Harrop, and he is listed on the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War website.
In Macclesfield, Corporal Leonard Harrop is commemorated on the Park Green, Town Hall, St Michael's Church, St George's Church and Macclesfield Industrial School war memorials.
SOURCES
GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births, Marriages, Deaths
Cheshire Parish Baptism Registers: St Michael's Church, Macclesfield (Find My Past)
Census (England & Wales): 1891, 1911
First World War Medical Records MH 106/899 (Find My Past)
Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Macclesfield Times: 13 April 1917; 23 September 1921 (photo supplement)
Research by Rosie Rowley, Macclesfield.