Elizabeth Fry - Awakening of Social Concern

Awakening of Social Concern

At the age of 18, young Elizabeth was deeply moved by the preaching of William Savery, an American Quaker. Motivated by his words, she took an interest in the poor, the sick, and the prisoners. She collected old clothes for the poor, visited those who were sick in her neighbourhood, and started a Sunday school in the summer house to teach children to read.

She met Joseph Fry (1777–1861), a banker and also a Quaker, when she was twenty years old. They married on 19 August 1800 at the Norwich Goat Lane Friends Meeting House and moved to St Mildred's Court in the City of London. Elizabeth Fry was recorded as a Minister of the Religious Society of Friends in 1811.

Joseph and Elizabeth Fry lived in Plashet House in East Ham between 1809 and 1829, then moved to Upton Lane in Forest Gate. They had eleven children, five sons and six daughters:

  1. Katharine (Kitty) Fry born 22 August 1801, unmarried, who wrote a History of the Parishes of East and West Ham
  2. Rachel Elizabeth Fry born 25 March 1803 died 4 Dec 1888, married Francis Cresswell
  3. John Gurney Fry of Warley Lodge, born 1804 died 1872, married Rachel Reynolds, whose mother was a Barclay
  4. William Storrs Fry born 1 June 1806, died 1844, married Juliana Pelly
  5. Richenda Fry born 18 February 1808, died 1884, married Foster Reynolds
  6. Joseph Fry born 20 September 1809, died 1896, married Alice Partridge
  7. Elizabeth (Betsy) Fry born February 1811, died 1845
  8. Hannah Fry born on 12 September 1812 died on 10 March 1895, married Rev William Champion Streatfeild
  9. Louisa Fry born 1814, died 1896, married Raymond Pelly (brother of Juliana, William’s wife)
  10. Samuel Fry born 1816 (known as "Gurney"), died 1902, married Sophia Pinkerton aunt to poet & translator Percy Edward Pinkerton
  11. Daniel Fry, known as "Henry" or "Harry", born October 1822 died 1892, married Lucy Sheppard

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