William Harry Fry | Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Rectory Lane Cemetery, Berkhamsted

Biography:
William Harry Fry
1875 –1923

Unmarked grave William Harry Fry (1875-1923)

 William was an ambitious man who was not afraid to change careers and travel, but who was struck down by ill health and died aged only 50.

 He was born 1875 Malmsbury, Wiltshire to Worthy Fry, a labourer, and his wife Sarah (née Savage).

In 1881 the family were living in Milk Street, Westport St Mary, a hamlet now completely absorbed by Malmsbury. William had an older sister and a younger brother.

By 1891 William, aged 15, had become a general labourer but became a coachman and moved to London where he married Alice Hing, born in Horton, Bucks, in 1896 in Edmonton.

Clifford William was born that year followed by Ethel Lucy in 1898.

In 1901 William, Clifford and Ethel were recorded at the Malmsbury home of his widowed mother. Alice was not with them. William was a domestic coachman.

Albert Edward Cecil James and his twin Rosie Madelaine Florence were born in 1903 in Edmonton but oddly, in 1902, Clifford was attending the Slapton Church of England school in Buckinghamshire. It was noted that his father was a coachman living in London.

Athelstone Gordon Worthy was born in 1909 in Slapton. There were also two other children who must have died in infancy by 1911.

In 1911 the family were living in Pitstone near Tring, five miles from Slapton, and William was a life assurance agent.

During the First World War Clifford, who had been a motor mechanic,  joined up on 12 December 1915 to serve with the Grenadier Guards.

Young Athelstane died in December 1916 and, just as his parents were dealing with that grief, Clifford was discharged from the Army on 18 February 1918 as no longer being physically fit for service. He was described as a “clean, sober and hardworking man” of very good military conduct. His illness must have given his parents great anxiety because he was admitted to hospital in November 1917 with “sub-acute rheumatism”, developed cardiac symptoms and then appeared to suffer a mental breakdown becoming morose and violent. The diagnosis was dementia praecox, a relatively new diagnosis for what is now call schizophrenia. In February 1918 his symptoms had completely disappeared, although he was not fit for such active work as before.

In June 1921 the family were living 12, Park Street, Berkhamsted. William was out of work because of illness. Clifford was a shorthand typist with the Jaeger Company in London. Clearly, whether or not the Army medics had been correct in their diagnosis, he had been able to learn a complex skill, manage commuting and work for a prestigious employer. Ethel was performing domestic duties, Albert was a labourer working for East & Sons, the timber merchants in Gossoms End and Rosie had been working as a cardboard box maker for John Dickinson’s in Apsley, but was now unemployed.

William died 3 August 1923 aged 48 at 241a High Street: presumably he had been admitted to the Union infirmary, the main source of medical attention for those who could not afford fees in those days before the NHS.

Alice remained at Park Street and was there in 1939 with Clifford and Rosie.

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Unmarked grave William Harry Fry (1875-1923)

 William was an ambitious man who was not afraid to change careers and travel, but who was struck down by ill health and died aged only 50.

 He was born 1875 Malmsbury, Wiltshire to Worthy Fry, a labourer, and his wife Sarah (née Savage).

In 1881 the family were living in Milk Street, Westport St Mary, a hamlet now completely absorbed by Malmsbury. William had an older sister and a younger brother.

By 1891 William, aged 15, had become a general labourer but became a coachman and moved to London where he married Alice Hing, born in Horton, Bucks, in 1896 in Edmonton.

Clifford William was born that year followed by Ethel Lucy in 1898.

In 1901 William, Clifford and Ethel were recorded at the Malmsbury home of his widowed mother. Alice was not with them. William was a domestic coachman.

Albert Edward Cecil James and his twin Rosie Madelaine Florence were born in 1903 in Edmonton but oddly, in 1902, Clifford was attending the Slapton Church of England school in Buckinghamshire. It was noted that his father was a coachman living in London.

Athelstone Gordon Worthy was born in 1909 in Slapton. There were also two other children who must have died in infancy by 1911.

In 1911 the family were living in Pitstone near Tring, five miles from Slapton, and William was a life assurance agent.

During the First World War Clifford, who had been a motor mechanic,  joined up on 12 December 1915 to serve with the Grenadier Guards.

Young Athelstane died in December 1916 and, just as his parents were dealing with that grief, Clifford was discharged from the Army on 18 February 1918 as no longer being physically fit for service. He was described as a “clean, sober and hardworking man” of very good military conduct. His illness must have given his parents great anxiety because he was admitted to hospital in November 1917 with “sub-acute rheumatism”, developed cardiac symptoms and then appeared to suffer a mental breakdown becoming morose and violent. The diagnosis was dementia praecox, a relatively new diagnosis for what is now call schizophrenia. In February 1918 his symptoms had completely disappeared, although he was not fit for such active work as before.

In June 1921 the family were living 12, Park Street, Berkhamsted. William was out of work because of illness. Clifford was a shorthand typist with the Jaeger Company in London. Clearly, whether or not the Army medics had been correct in their diagnosis, he had been able to learn a complex skill, manage commuting and work for a prestigious employer. Ethel was performing domestic duties, Albert was a labourer working for East & Sons, the timber merchants in Gossoms End and Rosie had been working as a cardboard box maker for John Dickinson’s in Apsley, but was now unemployed.

William died 3 August 1923 aged 48 at 241a High Street: presumably he had been admitted to the Union infirmary, the main source of medical attention for those who could not afford fees in those days before the NHS.

Alice remained at Park Street and was there in 1939 with Clifford and Rosie.

Relatives


No relatives have been linked to William Harry Fry