Introduction

The Fry and Sherwood families are connected through the marriage of Minnie Fry to my great grandfather Arthur Sherwood. They were married in Victoria, December 9, 1882. Minnie’s parents were Isaac and Eliza Fry. Isaac was born in East Brent, Somerset in 1824.

I first heard of the Fry family as a boy when my father joked that we were related to the makers of the Fry chocolate bar. Not surprisingly there isn’t a link (not at this stage anyway) between the family who made the confectionary and our own Fry family. Coincidently though both families were from Somerset.

Family tree shows the direct line of ascent of Minnie Fry. Minnie Fry (1860-1927)

Once I had discovered that Isaac Fry was born in East Brent, I had little trouble finding the baptism of his father John Fry in 1780, and the marriage of his grandfather James Fry to Ann Edwards in 1769. These events took place at St. Mary’s church East Brent.

My next step was to look for James Fry’s baptism entry in the church register. I wasn’t able to find it. It seemed that I had come to the end of the trail. This all changed when, late in December 2003, I got an e-mail from John Rigarlsford of Rooksbridge. John runs the Rooksbridge web site and has been very helpful with my research into the Fry family. John had found a James Fry senior of East Brent and his son John Fry of Loxton, Somerset in a deed dated 1772. Loxton is about 5 kilometres from East Brent.

I now had a new lead, the Loxton parish church registers. What I was hoping to find was the baptism entry for Minnie’s great grandfather James Fry junior. I wasn’t disappointed. James Fry was baptised in Loxton April 25, 1735/6. He was the son of James Fry senior and his wife Jane. James’ father James Fry senior was born about 1710.

At the time of writing I have not been able to trace the Fry family beyond James Fry senior. There is though the possibility that his parents may have been George and Elizabeth Fry of East Brent. Click on the link 'Related Frys?' above to learn more about a possible family connection.

Other families included in this web site are; Edwards, Norville and Quire. A member of each of these families married into the Fry family.

The Fry story begins with my great grandmother Minnie Sherwood nee Fry. Click on the link Minnie Fry to begin.