John Fry was born at Speldhurst, Kent in 1718 & christened on March 7th, 1718 at St Mary’s church, Speldhurst, Kent, the fifth child of Richard Fry & Elizabeth Children.
John married Anne Richardson on October 28th, 1749 at St Peter & St Paul parish church, Tonbridge, West Kent, by licence. Ann was born c1727 in West Kent.
John appears to have moved from Speldhurst to Frant having acquired property & lands in the parish of Frant as stated in his father Richard’s will.
The following information is from an article published in the Tonbridge Wells Family History Journal number 41, 2008, written by Nina Teeder, the 4x great granddaughter of John, & reproduced with her kind permission.
Land Tax Assessments for Frant were searched from 1750. John is listed at Eridge Farm in 1750 and in consecutive years until 1757, when he is listed at both Eridge and at Eridge Mill. John continues to be listed at both of these properties each year until 1783, when a John Fry is shown at Oakenden (this property is named only in 1783 – in other years it is listed just as house and land). One item of note is that from 1769 Lord Abergavenny is listed for “Frys Great Rooms”. John is listed at these three properties in 1784 and 1785.
John died in 1785 & was buried in Frant on September 2nd. John had written a will on August 27th, 1785 in which he describes himself as a yeoman of Eridge, in the Parish of Frant. Legacies were made in the will to 4 sons – Edward, Thomas, William & Robert, as well as to granddaughters Mary (Edward’s daughter) & Sarah (William’s daughter). John gave granddaughter Sarah his silver cup marked GRE 1606, to be given to her when she was 7 years of age. Son Edward was given a silver tablespoon marked E.F. & son Thomas was also given a silver tablespoon marked T.F. The remainder of John’s personal estate was divided between William & Robert. At the time of the writing of the will sons Thomas, William & Robert were living with their father in Frant. It is assumed that Anne had died since there was no mention of her in the will. Nina Teeder refers to a burial for Anne Fry in February 1782 & notes that there were 2 additional sons of John & Anne who died prior to the writing of his will. The executors of the will which was proved on September 24th, 1785 were William & Robert.
The children of John Fry & Anne Richardson were:
Edward Fry christened May 13th, 1750 at St Mary’s, Speldhurst, Kent
Thomas Fry christened September 27th, 1753 at St Alban’s, Frant, Sussex
John Fry christened March 23rd, 1756 at St Alban’s, Frant, Sussex; died November 1760
f.William Fry christened April 28th, 1758 at St Alban’s, Frant, Sussex
James Fry christened May 13th, 1761 at St Alban’s, Frant, Sussex; died October 1763
Robert Fry christened March 18th, 1763 at St Alban's Frant; buried August 3rd, 1829 at Speldhurst, Kent