William Hartopp
William Wrey Hartopp was an English first-class cricketer and British Army officer.
Hartopp was the son of the politician Edward Bourchier Hartopp and his wife, Honoria Gent. He was educated at Eton College. From Eton he enlisted with the 1st The Royal Dragoons, purchasing the rank of cornet in March 1853. Aged just eighteen, he served in the Crimean War and took part in the Charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaclava in October 1854, during which he was severely wounded in the leg. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in December 1854, while from August 1855 he served with the Royal Horse Guards. He made a single appearance in first-class cricket for the Gentlemen of England against the Gentlemen of Kent and Sussex at Canterbury in 1857. Batting twice in the match, he was dismissed in the Gentlemen of England first-innings for a single run by South Norton, while in their second-innings he was dismissed for 5 runs by James Watts. He purchased the rank of captain with the Royal Horse Guards in April 1859, before retiring from active service in August 1871.
He later moved to Penerley Lodge at Beaulieu in Hampshire with his wife. While out fishing on 20 July 1874, Hartopp was killed in an accident, with his body found wrapped around a tree having apparently fallen over a stile. He body was returned to the family ancestral home at Little Dalby, where he was buried. He was survived by his wife and their four children. His brothers-in-law George Traill, William Traill and James Traill all played first-class cricket.
