# A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Fry, Elizabeth

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FRY, ELIZABETH,
A lady of the sect of Friends or Quakers, distinguished for her benevolence, and as the originator of the Newgate female committee, was born in 1780. Her father was Mr. Gurney, of Norwich; and her brother was the celebrated John J. Gurney. Before her marriage, she established, by her father's consent, a school in his house for eighty poor children.
​In 1800, Miss Gurney married Mr. Fry, who generously aided her in her benevolent inclinations. An accidental visit to the prison at Newgate, London, so impressed her with the misery of the women confined there, that she took immediate and effectual means to relieve them. She entered alone a room where a hundred and sixty women and children surrounded her in the greatest disorder; she offered them assistance, and spoke to them words of peace, of hope, and of consolation. They listened in silent astonishment and respect. Mrs. Fry repeated her visit, and passed a whole day with them, reading and instructing them from the Bible. She won their love and their confidence, founded in the prison a school for the children, and societies for the improvement of those more advanced. She drew up rules for their conduct, to which they unanimously consented; and one of their own number was appointed a matron or superintendent, under the inspection of twenty-four women of the Society of Friends. Mrs. Fry was engaged many years in this arduous undertaking. She afterwards travelled through several countries, but always in pursuance of some plan for ameliorating the condition of the poor and friendless.
Born to fortune, and to those charms of person and graces of manner, which, making their possessor the idol of society, sometimes stand in the way of an entire devotion to duty, Mrs. Fry overcame all these worldly temptations. She was blessed with a sweet voice, whose persuasive tones proved no trifling advantage in her labours; and a yet sweeter temper, without which both philanthropy and religion would have been vain in dealing with the erring. In her youth she was more remarkable for seriousness than vivacity.
The latest project of Mrs. Fry was the formation of libraries for the use of the Coast Guards, in their numerous stations round the British Isles; and this, with the aid of her friends and the patronage of government, she lived to see completely successful.
As a wife and mother, indeed in all her domestic and social relations, she was equally exemplary. She died in 1845, aged sixty-nine years. Her death caused a great sensation throughout Europe. It was felt that a star of love and hope had gone down; and none has yet risen to shine with the sweet and cheering lustre for the poor as did this truly angelic woman. She not only practised the most disinterested charity herself, but made it familiar with all under her influence. Her children were taught to consider relieving the poor a pleasure, because their mother did it in such a cheerful spirit. She employed her children as almoners when very young, but required a minute account of their giving, and their reasons for it. After the establishment of the Tract Society, she always kept a large supply of such as she approved for distribution. It was her desire not only to relieve the bodily wants, but also in some way to benefit the souls of the poor. Among other charities, Mrs. Fry acquired the art of vaccination, in order to vaccinate the poor; and, at intervals, made a sort of investigation of the state of the parish where she resided, and persuaded parents to have their children vaccinated; and she sought to influence their minds to escape the contagion of sin by furnishing Bibles and books of instruction to all who had them not.
Thus passed her life in this round of benevolence; beloved and honoured in a degree which queens might envy; and women most, ​renowned for genius might gladly lay down their crowns of laurel at her feet, and thank her for the glory she has conferred on her sex. She was not gifted with what is termed genius; she has left few written records; and these are expressive of piety, and, like her life, interesting and uplifting in their tendency. Still it was not her mission to write books; but to leave an example of good works, more impressive and beautiful than the pen can teach.