John Cropper
Encyclopedia
John Cropper was a British
philanthropist and abolitionist. A businessman, he was known as "the most generous man in Liverpool".
they set up for local pauper's children. This school was known as "St. Croppers" and is likely to be the one referred to in the poem below.
In 1836, his father's partner, Robert Rathbone Benson (known as "Robert R"), had resigned membership from the Quakers. This was no small affair as the Quaker church was the centre of its members community. Benson was involved with, and related to, Isaac Crewdson
(a leader to the Manchester Quaker meeting). Crewdson had written and published a book in January 1835 called A Beacon to the Society of Friends. The controversy it ignited, which related to the role of evangelism in the Society, eventually led to the resignation of Crewdson and about 300 similarly minded people across the country. Benson moved to Manchester.
It was because of this internal controversy that on 31 January 1838, John Cropper's father James Cropper ended the partnership of Cropper, Benson & Co. which had made the family rich and wealthy. His father wanted to direct his energies to philanthropic interests and his two sons, John and Edward, had agreed.
In 1840, John Cropper journeyed to London to attend the World's anti-slavery convention on 12 June 1840. The picture above shows him in a painting made to commemorate the event which attracted delegates from America, France, Haiti, Australia, Ireland, Jamaica and Barbados.
Cropper joined the committee of the Liverpool City Mission and served as its President from 1847 to 1874.
In 1853 Harriett Beecher Stowe visited England and stayed first at John Cropper's house, Dingle Bank. On 23 September 1853 Cropper's third son, John Wakefield Cropper, married Susanna Elizabeth Lydia Arnold. Susanna was third daughter of the late Dr Arnold
of Rugby School
; James (1823-1900); Sarah (1824-1890); Anne (born 1825); John Wakefield (1828-1829); John Wakefield (1830-1892); Isabella (1831-1831); Edward William (born 1833); Isabella Eliza (born 1835); Margaret (born 1836).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
philanthropist and abolitionist. A businessman, he was known as "the most generous man in Liverpool".
Business and philanthropy
Cropper was renowned for being rich, but also being generous. It is said that a letter addressed to "the most generous man in Liverpool" ended up on his desk. Every year he and his wife would entertain juvenile delinquents who were serving their sentences at the training ship "Akbar". Cropper would also hold a bible class every Sunday at a home the family had set up for "fallen girls." This was in addition to the ragged schoolRagged school
Ragged Schools were charitable schools dedicated to the free education of destitute children in 19th century England. The schools were developed in working class districts of the rapidly expanding industrial towns...
they set up for local pauper's children. This school was known as "St. Croppers" and is likely to be the one referred to in the poem below.
In 1836, his father's partner, Robert Rathbone Benson (known as "Robert R"), had resigned membership from the Quakers. This was no small affair as the Quaker church was the centre of its members community. Benson was involved with, and related to, Isaac Crewdson
Isaac Crewdson
Isaac Crewdson was a minister of the Quaker meeting in Manchester who published a book, A Beacon to the Society of Friends, that triggered a split that affected Quakers throughout England. The book was said to have "set off ... a volcanic explosion".-Life:Isaac Crewdson was born in 1780 in...
(a leader to the Manchester Quaker meeting). Crewdson had written and published a book in January 1835 called A Beacon to the Society of Friends. The controversy it ignited, which related to the role of evangelism in the Society, eventually led to the resignation of Crewdson and about 300 similarly minded people across the country. Benson moved to Manchester.
It was because of this internal controversy that on 31 January 1838, John Cropper's father James Cropper ended the partnership of Cropper, Benson & Co. which had made the family rich and wealthy. His father wanted to direct his energies to philanthropic interests and his two sons, John and Edward, had agreed.
In 1840, John Cropper journeyed to London to attend the World's anti-slavery convention on 12 June 1840. The picture above shows him in a painting made to commemorate the event which attracted delegates from America, France, Haiti, Australia, Ireland, Jamaica and Barbados.
Cropper joined the committee of the Liverpool City Mission and served as its President from 1847 to 1874.
In 1853 Harriett Beecher Stowe visited England and stayed first at John Cropper's house, Dingle Bank. On 23 September 1853 Cropper's third son, John Wakefield Cropper, married Susanna Elizabeth Lydia Arnold. Susanna was third daughter of the late Dr Arnold
Thomas Arnold
Dr Thomas Arnold was a British educator and historian. Arnold was an early supporter of the Broad Church Anglican movement...
of Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
Family
Cropper was born to James and Mary Cropper in 1797. Cropper married Anne Wakefield and they had ten children. Mary (1821-1885) married John Saul HowsonJohn Saul Howson
John Saul Howson , English divine, was born at Giggleswick-on-Craven, Yorkshire.-Biography:After receiving his early education at Giggleswick School, of which his father was head-master, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge. Graduating BA in 1837 and MA in 1840, he became private tutor at...
; James (1823-1900); Sarah (1824-1890); Anne (born 1825); John Wakefield (1828-1829); John Wakefield (1830-1892); Isabella (1831-1831); Edward William (born 1833); Isabella Eliza (born 1835); Margaret (born 1836).