Born in Suffolk; studied at King's College Hospital, where he was a distinguished student, and acted as House Surgeon and as Assistant Demonstrator of Anatomy. He was next House Surgeon at the Shrewsbury Infirmary, and then for some years devoted himself to the care of an invalid brother. Returning to Shrewsbury, he became a partner of Edward Burd, MD, MRCS, and married Burd's daughter, Agnes. When Burd's son, Edward Burd, BA Cantab, etc, joined his father the firm became Burd, Rope & Burd. Rope was appointed Surgeon to the Infirmary, Medical Officer to Shrewsbury School, and for a time was Surgeon to the Dispensary. He gained a large surgical practice through his devotion to his profession, his unselfishness, and kindness to the poor. At one time he was President of the Shropshire and Mid-Wales Branch of the British Medical Association, also a member of the Medical Officers of Schools Association. In August, 1899, he began to show signs of a cerebral tumour, from which he died on September 13th, 1899, at St Mary's Court, Shrewsbury. He was survived by his widow and six children.