FRY, ELIZABETH (1 780-1845), English philanthropist, and, after Howard, the chief promoter of prison reform in Europe, was born in Norwich on May 21, 1780. Her father, John Gurney, afterwards of Earlham Hall, a wealthy merchant and banker, represented an old family which for some generations had belonged to the Society of Friends. While still a girl she showed the benevolence of disposition, clearness and independence of judgment, and strength of purpose, for which she was afterwards so distinguished. In Aug. 1800 she became the wife of Joseph Fry, a London merchant.
Amid increasing family cares she was unwearied in her atten tion to the poor and the neglected of her neighbourhood ; and in 1811 she was acknowledged by the Society of Friends as a "min ister." She had made several visits to Newgate prison as early as February 1813, but the great public work of her life dates effec tively from the formation of the Association for the improve ment of the female prisoners in Newgate in April 1817. Its aim was the much-needed establishment of some of what are now re garded as the first principles of prison discipline, such as entire separation of the sexes, classification of criminals, female super vision for the women, and adequate provision for their religious and secular instruction, as also for their useful employment. The ameliorations effected by this association, largely by the personal exertions of Mrs. Fry, led to a rapid extension of similar methods to other places. In 1818 she, with her brother, visited the prisons of Scotland and the north of England. The publication (1819) of the notes of this tour, and the cordial recognition of the value of her work by the House of Commons committee on the prisons of the metropolis, led to an extensive correspondence with persons interested in prison reform in Italy, Denmark and Russia. Through a visit to Ireland, which she made in 1827, she was led to direct her attention to other houses of detention besides pris ons; and her observations resulted in many important improve ments in the British hospital system, and in the treatment of the insane.
In 1838 she visited France, where she conferred with many of the leading prison officials, and personally visited most of the houses of detention in Paris, Rouen, Caen and other places. In 1839 she obtained an official permit to visit all the prisons in that country; and her tour, which extended from Boulogne and Abbe ville to Toulouse and Marseilles, resulted in a report which was presented to the minister of the interior and the prefect of police. Before returning to England she had included Geneva, Zurich, Stuttgart and Frankfort-on-Main in her inspection. The summer of 184o found her travelling through Belgium, Holland and Prus sia on the same mission; and in she also visited Copenhagen In 1842, through failing health, Mrs. Fry was compelled to forgo further travels, but she had the satisfaction of hearing from almost every quarter of Europe that the authorities were giving increased practical effect to her suggestions. She died on Oct. 12, 1845. She was survived by a numerous family, the youngest of whom was born in 1822.
Two interesting volumes of Memoirs, with Extracts from her Journals and Letters, edited by two of her daughters, were published in 1847. See also G. King Lewis, Elizabeth Fry (191o).