Elizabeth Fry

By Illa Vij

IT is an accepted fact that "one man or woman raises a banner and thousands follow; little movements started locally become world-wide". Elizabeth Fry initiated a movement to help women prisoners and their children. She began with the Newgate Prison and in a few months, she became world famous.

Betsy Gurney (the maiden name of Elizabeth) was born on May 21, 1780, in Norwich, Norfolk. As a child, she was self-willed, quite obstinate and forever ready to see things differently from others. Her parents encouraged her spirit of independence.

The Gurneys were Quakers, also called the Society of Friends. These members could either be ‘plain’ or ‘gay’. Plain Friends denied themselves personal pleasures, while Gay Friends enjoyed the pleasures of life. The Gurneys were ‘gay’. At the age of 18, Betsy turned ‘plain’. At the age of 20, she married Joseph Fry, who was also a Plain Friend. After her marriage, she moved to London. She had many children and had a soft corner for the sick and poor. People respected her for her status and her social work.

By the time Elizabeth was 31 years old, she was acknowledged as ‘minister’. She had heard about the pathetic state of women prisoners and their children. The first day she visited the prison, the turnkeys (men in charge of the keys of a prison) would not let her in. She could hear shrieks of women and wails of little children. After a long argument, she was allowed in. As soon as she stepped in, she was surrounded by wild, half naked, distressed women. She gently picked up a filthy, little child and spoke gently to the women. She told them that she was a friend and wanted to help them improve their lives.

The children for no fault of theirs had to stay with their mothers. A baby born in prison stayed there with its mother. Elizabeth talked of the advantages of a clean living, education and the future of the children. She sat with them for hours, and when she left, promising to come again, the women’s hearts and minds were stirred with hope.

Elizabeth started a school at Newgate with the aid of the prisoners themselves. The educated ones began teaching and the uneducated ones helped in other activities. She even prayed with them and arranged for every possible help. Besides the children, the intelligent prisoners showed interest in learning to read and to sew.

Elizabeth consulted other persons interested in improving the quality of life in prisons. Initially, nobody was willing to help out. Gradually, she gathered 10 women, of whom nine were Quakers like herself. They took turns to visit the women and children at the prison and they also employed a matron for the cell. They arranged funds for the purchase of material for their sewing and the sale of the items. Elizabeth’s husband extended great help and supported her cause. He arranged her meetings with the Governor.

Soon the Governor had the prison laundry cleaned, the walls were whitewashed and even the sheriff co-operated, helping Elizabeth achieve her goal.

The hell on earth transformed into an institution that was run like a well regulated family. Within a year, Elizabeth had brought in a remarkable change in the living conditions and the lives of numerous prisoners. Later, she visited prisons throughout the British Isles, France, Germany, Belgium, Holland and Switzerland. She devoted about 25 years of her life to the work of prison reform in all Europe.

Besides prisons, hospitals and lunatic asylums were also greatly improved as a result of her labour. Her methods were also adopted for the male prisoners. She died on October 12, 1845. The world fondly remembers her as one of the most compassionate, understanding and determined women of the world.