Edith Sarah Fry [f.2.6.8.5]

Edith Sarah Fry was the fifth child of Albert Edward Fry & Harriett Annie Grove born July 12th, 1886 at Brookshill Farm, Hartfield.

In 1891 Edith was living with her widowed mother Harriett & brothers & sisters at Chartners Farm, Hartfield. She was orphaned in November 1893 following the death of her mother.

On Friday April 27th, 1894 a Committee of the Royal Female Orphanage at Beddington, Croydon considered the following application for admission:
‘Edith Sarah Fry for admission upon the payment of 60 guineas & presentation of Mrs Mews of 103 Westbourne Terrace, London’ (Mrs Ellen Mews (63) was the wife of a magistrate John Mews.)

On the week ending May 19th, 1894 the matron of the Orphanage reported :
‘there were 125 in family, viz 115 orphans & 10 adults… Four children were admitted into the asylum on the 15th of May viz Lizzie Jennings, Elsie Jennings, Edith Sarah Fry & Ada Florence Palmer’

In the Report Book & List of Guardians 1900 Edith is mentioned in the prize list for 1899 for arithmetic & practical mending & darning.

Edith lived at the Orphanage until 1902. Records of her employment until 1931were kept by the Orphanage & are shown below. The records show that Edith set up a small school with a friend in 1911 at Hamlyn, Oxted. The census for 1911 notes that Edith was living at Kenley House, Station Rd West, Oxted, with Frank Joyce, a pianoforte & music dealer, & his wife Millicent, a teacher of music. Edith was described as a governess. Edith's sister, Mary May, was also living in Oxted at this time. She was living with their cousin Emily, the daughter of Phoebe Fry [f.2.6.2] & William Heasman, who had married Richard Dartnell Young, a farmer. Their address was given as Hamlyn, High St, Oxted, where Edith apparently set up a school.

Edith, of 4 Oakwood Flats, Haywards Heath, died on May 14th 1966, aged 79, at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, Haywards Heath, Sussex. The informant of her death was her cousin, D Heasman of Oxted, Surrey. Edith's occupation was given as a private governess, retired. Probate was granted in London on August 11th, 1966 to Derek Harold Heasman, Lloyds underwriters clerk. Edith’s effects amounted to £5198.

Edith's death certificate