THE FRY FAMILY TREE

This family tree was originally researched and recorded by David Fry of Tunbridge Wells.

David made the results of his research available to us at Frenchay Village Museum, with the express purpose of making it available to anyone interested in the Fry family. This we have endeavored to do by adding it to our website as a free resource.

It shows many other families as well for this 2012 version features well over 2000 individuals and more than 500 family names.

Sadly, this research is published posthumously, as David died in the Spring of 2014. We, and family historians everywhere, owe a great debt of thanks to David and his family – his wife Jackie and daughter Nina and her husband Zach - for the efforts they made to ensure we were able to make this information available.

Published by

Frenchay Village Museum in March 2016

David Fry

David Fry was born on 4th January 1940 in Shoreham, Sussex. He married Jacqueline Woodward (Jackie) in 1967 in Reading, Berkshire, and their daughter Nina was born in 1970.

In the 1990s, with Jackie’s invaluable help, David started researching his ancestors, and he went to extraordinary lengths to ensure the accuracy of his findings. The results of his many years of research is not just a list of names and relationships, but copious notes on where the information came from, and reports of visits made to confirm facts. He visited Frenchay on several occasions, most notably in 2003, when events were held to mark the 275th anniversary of the founding of J S Fry & Sons, the famous chocolate manufacturer. David’s research had shown that the firm’s founder, Dr. Joseph Fry, was his 1st Cousin 7 times removed.

Sadly, David died on 16th May 2014 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Just before his death David told us that he wanted the fruits of his research to come to Frenchay Village Museum, and we are grateful to his family who made sure this happened. In the Spring of 2015 we collected boxes of paper records from Jackie, which covered some twenty years of research, and in August 2015 Jackie, with her daughter Nina and son-in-law Zach came to Frenchay with a box of discs containing David’s “Family Tree Maker” backup files. The latest of these has been used to generate the pdf file “Fry Family Tree”, which is on this website.

We are very grateful to David and his family for entrusting us with his research, a lasting legacy that will be invaluable to researchers around the world, now and in the future.

The photograph above of David and Jackie was taken on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

Descendants of John Frye

Generation 1

  1. JOHN1 FRYEwas born about 1450. He married Johanna about 1472. She was born about 1450.

Notes for John Frye: Family Tree File No. 44

13th Great Grandfather

Notes for Johanna: Family Tree File No. 44

13th Great Grandmother

John Frye and Johanna had the following child:

  1. i. JOHN2FRYEwas born about 1474. He died in 1556. He married (1) JOHANNAabout1499 in Corston, Wilts. She was born about 1478. She died before 1550 in Rodburn, Wilts. He married (2) AGNES LIGHT. She was born about 1474 (Corston, Wilts).

Generation 2

  1. JOHN2 FRYE(John1) was born about 1474. He died in 1556. He married (1) JOHANNAabout 1499 inCorston, Wilts. She was born about 1478. She died before 1550 in Rodburn, Wilts. He married (2) AGNES LIGHT. She was born about 1474 (Corston, Wilts).

Notes for John Frye: Family Tree File No. 44

12th Great Grandfather

Notes for Johanna: Family Tree File No. 44

11th Great Grandmother

John Frye and Johanna had the following children:

  1. JOHN3 FRYE was born about 1500.
  1. THOMAS FRYE was born about 1502.
  1. iii. WILLIAMFRYEwas born in 1528 in Corston, Wiltshire. He died after 1572 in Corston,Wilts. He married Elizabeth about 1553 in Corston, Wilts. She was born in 1532 (Malmesbury, Wilts). She died after 1597 in Rodburn, Wilts.

Generation 3

  1. WILLIAM3 FRYE(John2, John1) was born in 1528 in Corston, Wiltshire. He died after 1572 inCorston, Wilts. He married Elizabeth about 1553 in Corston, Wilts. She was born in 1532 (Malmesbury, Wilts). She died after 1597 in Rodburn, Wilts.

Notes for William Frye: Family Tree File No. 43 11th Great Grandfather

2003...15 May...Looked for more children on Familysearch. Found no more.

Notes for Elizabeth: Family Tree File No. 43

11th Great Grandmother

William Frye and Elizabeth had the following child:

  1. i. ROBERT4FRYwas born in 1557 (Malmesbury, Wilts). He died on 23 Sep 1619 inMalmesbury, Wiltshire, England. He married Margaret about 1582 in Malmesbury,

Generation 3 (con't)

Wilts. She was born about 1557.

Generation 4

  1. ROBERT4 FRY(William3Frye, John2Frye, John1Frye) was born in 1557 (Malmesbury, Wilts). Hedied on 23 Sep 1619 in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England. He married Margaret about 1582 in Malmesbury, Wilts. She was born about 1557.

Notes for Robert Fry: Family Tree File No. 42

10th Great Grandfather

Notes for Margaret: Family Tree File No. 42

10th Great Grandmother

Robert Fry and Margaret had the following children:

  1. AGNES5 FRY was born about 1583.
  1. ii. ALEXANDERFRYwas born in 1585 (Corston/Malmesbury, Wiltshire). He died in 1638in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England. He married Mary about 1610 in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England. She was born about 1585 (Malmesbury, Wiltshire). She died in 1638 in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.
  1. RICHARD FRY was born about 1587.
  1. MARGARET FRY was born about 1598. She married Thomas Pynnell on 20 Jan 1613. He was born about 1598.

Generation 5

  1. ALEXANDER5 FRY(Robert4, William3Frye, John2Frye, John1Frye) was born in 1585(Corston/Malmesbury, Wiltshire). He died in 1638 in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England. He married Mary about 1610 in Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England. She was born about 1585 (Malmesbury, Wiltshire). She died in 1638 in Malmesbury, Wiltshire.

Notes for Alexander Fry: Family Tree File No. 41 OUR 9th Great Grandfather

2011...23 June... Details of all the childrens dying in Infancy taken from : Portraits of the Fry Family Book 1, no 2

Notes for Mary: Family Tree File No. 41 No Surname on IGI....

9th Great Grandmother

Alexander Fry and Mary had the following children:

  1. ROBERT6 FRY was born about Feb 1611.
  1. MARY FRY was born about Dec 1613.
  1. SUSSANNA FRY was born about 1615. She died on 08 May 1629.
  1. JANE FRY was born about 1618. She died (Died Young).
  1. ANN FRY was born about 1619. She died on 22 Mar 1619.
  1. JOHN FRY was born about 1621. He died on 20 Mar 1621.
  1. vii. WILLIAMFRYwas born in May 1627 in Marden, Wilts. He died in 1627. He marriedMary Storrs about 1652 in Sutton Benger, Wiltshire. She was born about 1627 (Sutton Benger, Wilts). She died after 1695 in Malmesbury, Wilts.
  1. SARAH FRY was born about 1628. She died on 03 Nov 1637.

Generation 5 (con't)

  1. MARGARET FRY was born about 1631. She died on 07 Aug 1631.
  1. ELIZABETH FRY was born about 1634. She died on 14 Apr 1634.
  1. ANTHONY FRY was born about 1635.

Generation 6

  1. WILLIAM6 FRY(Alexander5, Robert4, William3Frye, John2Frye, John1Frye) was born in May 1627in Marden, Wilts. He died in 1627. He married Mary Storrs about 1652 in Sutton Benger, Wiltshire. She was born about 1627 (Sutton Benger, Wilts). She died after 1695 in Malmesbury, Wilts.

Notes for William Fry:

Family Tree File No. 40Not sure of the Details of William

OUR 8th GREAT GRANDFATHER

Clothworker... this appears to be the first found 'Occupation of Clothworker in the Fry Family'.

Note: According to The Family History Magazine the Civil War was between 1642 and 1650 and The Society of Friends was established in 1647 by George Fox.

2001...20 June...At Bristol Records Office/Archives of J.S.Fry & Sons/ Notes on the Pedigree of the Family of Fry, by Sir John Pease Fry, Page 1& 2, it says...Living within the sphere of influence of the Great Abbey of Malmesbury, it is probable that the Frys, like so many other English freeman in mediaeval times, suffered at the hands both of the Church and Crown, and had little love for either, a trait long noticeable in our own and other branches of the family , and particularly prominent in the history of John Fry [1609-1657], the regicide member for Dorsetshire in the Long Parliament, who himself had probably a Wiltshire origin and whose family was possibly connected with our own. William Fry, of Sutton Benger [1627-1698], a sturdy Puritan, was one of the earliest adherents of George Fox, and a century later we find Joseph Fry, of Bristol [1728-1787], displaying the same characteristic family tendencies [see Latimer's "Annals of Bristol," p. 178].

Notes for Mary Storrs:

Family Tree File No. 40

Note: According to The Family History Magazine the Civil War was between 1642 and 1650 and The Society of Friends was established in 1647 by George Fox.

William Fry and Mary Storrs had the following children:

  1. ALEXANDER7 FRY was born in Jan 1653 (Sutton Benger, Wiltshire). He died in Jul 1665 in Sutton Benger, Wiltshire.

Notes for Alexander Fry:

Alternative dates shown on IGI. Birth about 1660, at Sutton Benger and Death about 1695 at Sutton Benger.Parents William Fry & Mary

  1. ELIZABETH FRY was born on 27 Jan 1635. She died on 06 Nov 1679.
  1. iii. ZEPHANIAHFRYwas born on 02 Aug 1658 in Sutton Benger, Wiltshire, England. Hedied on 04 Mar 1724 in Sutton Benger, Wilts. He married Jane Smith, daughter of William Smith, on 08 Feb 1686 in Sutton Benger, Wilts. She was born in 1658 in Marden, Wiltshire (On the Salisbury Plain). She died on 15 Sep 1731 in Sutton Benger, Wilts.
  1. WILLIAM FRY was born on 18 Aug 1665 (Sutton Benger, Wiltshire). He died in May 1675 in Sutton Benger, Wiltshire.
  1. MARGARET FRY was born about 1667 (Sutton Benger, Wiltshire).
  1. DEBORAH FRY was born on 06 Mar 1667 (Sutton Benger, Wiltshire). She married Bradbury. He was born about 1666.

Generation 6 (con't)

Notes for Deborah Fry:

2001...8 November...Cannot find trace of Marriage on IGI Family Search

  1. RUTH FRY was born about 1669 (Sutton Benger, Wiltshire).

Notes for Ruth Fry:

1698...Proved her Fathers Will in 1698 [according to Cadbury's Pedigree Tree of the Fry's]

  1. ALEXANDER FRY was born about 1672 (Sutton Benger, Wiltshire). He died after 1695 in Sutton Benger, Wiltshire.
  1. SARAH FRY was born on 18 Jul 1673 (Sutton Benger, Wiltshire). She died on 13 Jul 1675 in Sutton Benger, Wiltshire.
  1. JANE FRY was born about 1674 (Sutton Benger, Wiltshire). She died after 1695 in Sutton Benger, Wiltshire. She married Jeff before 1695 in Sutton Benger, Wiltshire. He was born about 1670 (Sutton Benger, Wiltshire).

Generation 7

1ZEPHANIAH7 FRY(William6, Alexander5, Robert4, William3Frye, John2Frye, John1Frye) was bornon 02 Aug 1658 in Sutton Benger, Wiltshire, England. He died on 04 Mar 1724 in Sutton Benger, Wilts. He married Jane Smith, daughter of William Smith, on 08 Feb 1686 in Sutton Benger, Wilts. She was born in 1658 in Marden, Wiltshire (On the Salisbury Plain). She died on 15 Sep 1731 in Sutton Benger, Wilts.

Notes for Zephaniah Fry: Family Tree File No. 39

This is the FIRST ZEPHANIAH and OUR SEVENTH GREAT GRANDFATHER

1719...31 November & 7th December...The following members of the Fry Family attended the Marriage of Jacob Young and Mary Smart. We found the Marriage entry showing them as Witnesses at the FRC on the 4th October 2001 when we visited there. The Reference was RG6/ 1539/029/25. The Witnesses were William Fry, Zeph Fry, Richard Fry, Margaret Fry & Mary Fry. This 'Zeph' had to be the one because 'Zeph' his son had died in 1716.

2000...October...According to The Dictionery of National Biography, 1912-1921, pages 200, for Sir Edward Fry, [Born November 1827, Died 1918] it says' he was a member of a 'Long established Wessex Family at Corston, near Malmesbury, who followed George Fox and was imprisoned as a Recalcitrant Quaker in 1684'. We will try to find out about this. TD list 20/10/2001************

...1....Their son... Zephaniah... went off and produced the 'Clothier [or 'Clothes' }' line that we are descended from.

...2....Their son... John ...... went off and produced Dr. Joseph of 'Fry's Chocolate' fame

2001... January 5...According to Lincoln'n Inn Library who sent us Chapter 1 of 'A Memoir of Sir Edward Fry, by his Daughter Agnes [printed in 1921], " The family appears to have maintained itself at Corston until the times of the Civil War, when it seems that they lost their property and migrated a few miles to the village of Sutton Benger, where one of the family- by name Zephaniah-became a follower of George Fox, and in 1684 'was taken at a meeting of the Quakers' and' was tendered the oath of allegiance, and for refusing to swear was imprisoned for three months" [2] Besse's Sufferings of The Quakers, published 1753.

According to The Family History Magazine the Civil War was between 1642 and 1650 and The Society of Friends was established in 1647 by George Fox.

20 June 2001***********Imprisonment...Taken from Bristol Records Office on visit / Files of Dr. Joseph Fry, Chocolate Maker / Accession Number. AN 27041018/ M0003610AN/ B20853 / Biography [50 Pages], it says on page 1..." Whether born a Quaker or not, we know that he was one in 1683, when he was 25, for his name appears in a list of Friends arrested by one, Thomas

Generation 7 (con't)

Stokes, Church Warden of "Konton" [sic] [Keynsham?. Attendance of meetings for worship was illegal under the Conventicle Act. He was ordered to take the Oath of Allegience. This was refused, Quakers following literally the command ' Swear not at all', and he was sent to prison in Ilchester Gaol for three months, a mild sentrence for those days"...

2001...4 October...At the FRC, see above 1719 for details of what we found this day.

2003...27 March...Jackie & I visit Sutton Benger Post Office and purchase the book "Sutton Benger, by Kay S Taylor...Extracts from the Book "Sutton Benger from Saxon Times to the Dawn of the 21st Century, by Kay S. Taylor."Page 17...Religious refugees from the continent, many of whom were in the textile industry, chose to settle in towns such as Trowbridge, Chippenham, and Bradford-on-Avon, which were centres of the Wiltshire clothing trade...... There is some correlation between the clothing towns and the areas in which Quakerism flourished. The seventeenth century clothier, Zephaniah Fry, embraced the doctrines of the new Society of Friends, with his home in Sutton Benger becoming a centre of Quakerism... In 1727 the newly built home of Zephaniah's son John, now the Vintige Inn in Seagry Road, was given a certificate of registration as a Quaker Meeting House. It was John's son Joseph who moved to Bristol where he founded the Fry's Chocolate Factory...Quakers were still much in evidence, although the Rev Davies had poor opinion of them. He provided the information that there were about seven known Quakers in two families of low degree... As already noted above, a century earlier the

Quakers in Sutton Benger had been leading members of the community, with wealthy clothier Zephaniah Fry being a prominent figure in the North Wiltshire Society of Friends.... Not all the eighteenth century Quakers here were such humble stock as the Rev Davies implied, as Zephaniah's descendant John Fry was still active among them, and had published a book of Selected poems containing Religious Epistles etc. which was prefaced "Sutton Benger 25 March 1774"...

2003...28 June ...Whilst on holiday, Jackie & I visit Ilchester, a tiny Town, which, for 500 years was the County Town of Somerset. We visited the Museum and found details of the Jail that had been there, until it was demolished about 1846. The only sign of the Prison now is the long wall that fronts onto the river. We are awaiting any details from the Curator of the Museum.

2003...18 September...at FRC...found Original Marriage Entry.

2003...18 September...On a visit to the FRC...we find a Marriage of a George Grant & Ann Sparrow that Zephaniah & Jane were Witnesses to, dated 6th July 1697. We have taken a photocopy of the entry

2004...21 April...I found Zephaniah's Will dated 28 August 1724 at The National Archives internet site under Ref no PROB 11/ 599 File ref no No 51

2005 / ....16 June... / I have obtained a copy of "Sufferings of Early Quakers- South West England" and
have found the page in 1684
2011... / 25...June... / Notation from Portait Book.....He was born 34 Years after George Fox, he joined

thr Society of Friends to which some of his decendants are still attached

Generation 7 (con't)

Notes for Jane Smith:

Family Tree File No. 39

Zephaniah Fry and Jane Smith had the following children:

  1. MARY8 FRY was born on 03 Feb 1687 (Sutton Benger, Wilts). She died on 04 Jan 1763 in Sutton Benger, Wilts.

Notes for Mary Fry:

Fry Family Tree Item No. Part of 39

  1. ii. ZEPHANIAHFRYwas born on 30 Nov 1688 in Sutton Benger,Wiltshire. He died inSep 1716 in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England. He married Margaret Jefferies on 15 Feb 1712 in Bremhill, Chippenham, Wilts. She was born about 1692 (Bremhill, Wiltshire). She died on 13 Feb 1755 in Draycott, Wilts.
  1. WILLIAM FRY was born on 16 Jun 1691 (Sutton Benger, Wilts). He died on 03 Apr 1748 in Sutton Benger, Wilts.

Notes for William Fry:

Fry Family Tree Item No. Part 0f 39 Unmarried

  1. iv. RICHARDFRYwas born on 21 Mar 1694 (Sutton Benger, Wilts). He died on 24 Jul1772 in Calne, Wilts. He married Martha Storrs, daughter of Joseph Storrs and Katharine Frost, on 18 Jun 1728 in Chesterfield, Derby. She was born on 30 Jul 1707 (Chesterfield, Derby). She died on 10 Jun 1780.
  1. JANE FRY was born on 29 Oct 1696 (Sutton Benger, Wilts). She died on 13 Dec 1702 in Sutton Benger, Wilts.

Notes for Jane Fry:

Fry Family Tree Item No. Part of 39

2003...18 September...at the FRC...Birth Entry on RG 6 1312 is impossible to read.

  1. vi. MARGARETFRYwas born on 26 Dec 1699 (Sutton Benger, Wilts). She marriedAnthony Lawrence on 28 Aug 1721 in Hullavington, Nr Corston, Wilts. He was born in 1696 (Malmesbury, Wiltshire).
  1. vii. JOHNFRYwas born on 29 Sep 1701 in Sutton Benger, Wiltshire, England. He diedon 23 Aug 1775 in Melksham, Wilts. He married Mary Storrs, daughter of Joseph Storrs and Katharine Frost, in Mar 1726 in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. She was born on 25 Mar 1703 (Chesterfield, Derbyshire). She died on 17 Sep 1775 in Melksham, Wilts.
  1. JANE FRY was born on 11 Feb 1703 (Sutton Benger, Wilts). She died on 23 Dec 1704 in Sutton Benger, Wilts.

Generation 8

  1. ZEPHANIAH8 FRY(Zephaniah7, William6, Alexander5, Robert4, William3Frye, John2Frye, John1Frye) was born on 30 Nov 1688 in Sutton Benger,Wiltshire. He died in Sep 1716 in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England. He married Margaret Jefferies on 15 Feb 1712 in Bremhill, Chippenham, Wilts. She was born about 1692 (Bremhill, Wiltshire). She died on 13 Feb 1755 in Draycott, Wilts.

Notes for Zephaniah Fry: Family Tree File No. 30 OUR 6th Great Grandfather