South Yorkshire Times August 13 1949
Visitor From London
This delightful study of Miss E. K. L. Harrop, referred to in our accompanying article, was taken in the garden at “Sparken,” Church Street, Swinton, the home of Miss A. K. Blythman, with whom she is staying.
Miss E. K. L. Harrop Looks Back On Old Swinton
“A deep affection for Swinton” has brought up North this week E. K. L. Harrop, who can truly claim to have travelled ” to the ends of the earth “—or very nearly. Circumstances have not permitted Miss Harrop to live in Swinton for a number of years (she is at present living in London). but where the township is concerned there can be little doubt that she is strongly partisan. ” Swinton has developed on surprisingly pleasant lines, and whenever I am up this way I shall spend a few days here,” she told a reporter, as she looked back into the past to recall a few pleasant memories of old Swinton.
Exhibition of 1886
Probably her earliest recollection was of the 1886 Elsecar Exhibition of Arts and Crafts held at Wentworth. The occasion was noteworthy in that it was attended by 18-year-old Princess May, who was making her first public appearance. Swinton villagers were well to the fore in the exhibition and won several prizes.
“I have also vivid memories of some turbulent journeys to Rotherham,” Miss Harrop continued.” Accepted transport in those days was by carriage and pair, and in bad weather a journey over the rough roads of the heath was anything but pleasant. Social visits to Wath entailed some risk, and I was never allowed to return home alone after dark.”
Miss Harrop’s knowledge of the earlier history of her native town is extensive, some of it accumulated from wide reading, but quite a good part of it gleaned from stories told by her parents.
“Our family originally lived at Wath and came into the district as road contractors,” she explained. “Most of the roads round here were made by them. Those were days of strife and trouble, and at night the village was patrolled by 30 or 40 villagers with guns. There was constant fighting on the hill leading down to Mexborough.”
One of the big industries at Swinton at the time of the Napoleonic War was the felling and transport of timber from surrounding woods. Many of the village men were engaged in this work and it was continued until the arrival of the railway.
Potteries Link
Linking up past and present, Miss Harrop said the present Council Offices were originally a 16th century farmhouse. The back of the building, including the Council Chamber, was built by Thomas Bramhall and his brothers, founders of the Rockingham Potteries. Although quite willing to talk on old Swinton, Miss Harrop needed a little prompting before describing how she went out to ” see the world.”
On the death of her uncle, Mr. Edwin Thomas Harrop, in 1932, the Harrop home, ” Rock House,” was taken over by Swinton Council. With her sister, the late Miss Beatrice M. R. Harrop, Miss Harrop left for the continent. For seven years the sisters toured different parts of the world, including two years in the Dominions. They touched the most southerly parts of Australia, New Zealand and South America, and at one time stayed at the world’s most northerly hotel at Spitzbergen.
Their travels were brought to an end by the war, which found them in South America.
Miss Harrop’s last story came from Australia. While “down under” she met an Englishman who, during the 1914-18 war had to travel from Liverpool to Hull. He was brought by train to “the port of Swinton,” where he embarked by barge for Hull. This precaution was taken in case the fire from the loco could be picked out by zeppelins making raids from Germany.
Miss Harrop, who with her sister gave the pleasant lych gate entrance to Creighton Woods at Swinton, is staying with Miss A. K. Blythman, of “Sparken.” Church Street, Swinton .