Born 30 August 1859 at Swaton, Lincolnshire, the second son and third child of Crosby Cropley, farmer, and Mary Ann Tointon, his wife, He was educated at Donington Grammar School, Lincolnshire, and at the London Hospital, where he acted as clinical assistant in the surgical out-patient and skin departments. He served afterwards as medical officer of health under the Kingsthorpe, Northants, Urban District Council and was medical officer to the Northampton Institute. He married on 28 March 1931 Sarah Astbury, a widow, who died before him without children. He died on 22 March 1940 at Dallington, Northants, bequeathing £500 to the Northants Association for the Blind, £1,000 to the Bethany Homestead, Northampton, and a residue to the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund.