William Fry was the third child of John Fry & Caroline Stephens christened June 12th, 1814 at East Grinstead, Sussex.
William married Elizabeth Stanbridge on October 10th, 1838 at Worth. Elizabeth was born at West Hoathly & christened on April 3rd, 1816 at Ardingly, Sussex, the daughter of John & Elizabeth Stanbridge.
The first child of William & Elizabeth was Mary, who had been born April-June 1839 at Slougham, East Grinstead.
The next child, John, was born in 1841, as at the time of the census in June his age was 5 months. The family were living at Berry Farm, Ardingly.
In 1851 they were still living at Berry Farm with children Mary, John, Elizabeth
(8) & Ann (6). William was a farmer of 105 acres & there were 2 farm
labourers living with them. Son William was born in 1852 & Frederick in
c1859.
In 1861 William & Elizabeth were still living at Berry Farm with children Mary, John, William & Frederick. Daughter Elizabeth was not at home, and daughter Ann had gone to Brighton to work as a servant. William was a farmer of 107 acres employing 2 men – William & Amos Crowhurst.
By 1871 William & Elizabeth had moved to Allfreys Farm in New Shoreham, Cowfold where William was a farmer of 300 acres employing 3 men & 1 boy. 12 year old Frederick was the only child living with them. Daughter Ann (Annie), now married to grocer Henry Summarsell, was living close by at this time in Cowfold Street with an 11 month old son, Henry. (A History of Cowfold Parish reveals that Allfreys was a late 18th century timber-framed house.)
By 1881 William & Elizabeth were living at Jeffrey St, Maidstone, Kent. William (65) was a farm labourer. With them was an 8 year old visitor William Pennyfold, born in Shipley, Kent.
By 1891 William had died & widow Elizabeth (76) was living with her daughter Annie Summarsell, also widowed, at Preston, Brighton. Elizabeth was helping to look after Annie’s 7 children aged from 20 to 9. Also living there was Elizabeth’s granddaughter Ann Lewry, 23, (daughter of Elizabeth’s first child Mary who had married Henry Lewry). A visitor was also listed in the census – Esther Fry, aged 49 – her daughter-in-law who was married to her son John Fry.
Elizabeth died soon after the census in 1891, aged 76, the death being registered at Steyning, Sussex.
The children of William Fry & Elizabeth Stanbridge were:
f.2.3.1 Mary Fry born April-June 1839
at Slaugham, East Grinstead, died April 13th, 1910 at Nuthurst
f.2.3.2 John Fry born Jan-Mach 1841 at
Ardingley; died July-September 1921 at Sevenoaks, Kent
f.2.3.3 Elizabeth Fry christened
May 28th, 1843 at Ardingley; died Oct-december 1918 at Godstone
f.2.3.4 Anne Fry christened March 30th,1845
at Ardingley; died April 2nd, 1904 at Preston, Brighton
f.2.3.5 William Fry born Oct-Dec 1852
at Ardingley; died March 11th, 1931 at 9 Corporation Rd, Croydon
f.2.3.6 Frederick Fry christened
November 21st, 1858 at Ardingley; died March 1932 at Chatham, Kent