Elizabeth Fry was a wealthy Quaker humanitarian who focused on prison reform, particularly for women and children. She founded the Association for the Improvement of Female Prisoners at Newgate Gaol and implemented methods that brought order to prisons, providing clothing, food, and establishing rules. She also worked on other humanitarian efforts. The Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies carries on her work and philosophy, treating women prisoners with compassion and respect. Fry died in 1845, but her charity lives on.
Elizabeth Fry was a wealthy Englishwoman and Quaker humanitarian known to be a prison reformer. You have focused your work particularly on women and children in the prison system. Elizabeth Fry advocated education for those in the prison system and also worked to not have women housed in the same quarters as male prisoners.
In 1817, Fry founded the Association for the Improvement of Female Prisoners at Newgate Gaol. Prison authorities allowed Elizabeth Fry to implement her methods of prison reform as her changes brought order to prisons. Her methods of prison reform changed the prison lives of women in Britain and Europe. Elizabeth Fry gave prisoners clothing and food when the prison did not provide them. She also established rules that included reasonable work expectations and daily Bible readings.
Elizabeth Fry was born Elizabeth Gurney on May 21, 1780 into a wealthy Quaker family in Norfolk, England. Her family home, Earlham Hall, became a branch of the University of East Anglia. At the age of 18, Elizabeth Fry began collecting old clothes for the poor. She also organized a summer Sunday school that taught children to read. Elizabeth married a Quaker banker named Joseph Fry on August 19, 1800 and the couple lived in London and had eleven children and 25 grandchildren. Though she was involved with her own family and church community, Elizabeth remained committed to her work with prison reform.
Today, the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies helps women involved in the justice system. Other humanitarian efforts run by the Association include services to help victims of family violence and Elizabeth Fry’s aides have also built homeless shelters and participated in a visitor network to visit and comfort the poor. The Elizabeth Fry Societies strive to carry on the work and philosophy of their namesake. Just as Elizabeth Fry herself did, those involved in the Societies are committed to treating women prisoners with compassion and with an understanding that prisoners are still people worthy of kindness and respect. Although Elizabeth Fry died on October 12, 1845, her charity lives on.
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