Quaker Elizabeth Fry, born in 1780 in Norwich, England, is known as the “Angel of Prisons”.
Born into a prominent Quaker family, the Gurneys, she married Joseph Fry in 1800 and had eleven children.
When Fry visited Newgate Prison in 1813, the conditions she saw there horrified her. She started trying to help the very next day, bringing food and clothing for the prisoners.
She was so invested in her work, she even spent the night in some prisons and invited others to stay with her so that they could experience the conditions for themselves.
Fry funded a school in the prison for children who were imprisoned with their mothers. She also implemented a system where rules were proposed and then voted on by the prisoners.
She was instrumental in getting the 1823 Gaols Act in place which attempted to implement protections for female inmates.
Although the Gaols Act did not result in widespread improvements in prison conditions right away, it did have the immediate and significant result of having female inmates held separately from men.
In addition to her prison ministry, Fry also worked to help the homeless, and campaigned for abolition of slavery in European colonies.
After she died in 1845, Elizabeth Fry refuges were established in her honor. The refuges provided temporary shelter for women recently released from prison.
Quakers are still very active in prison reform today. The Friends Committee on National Legislation and Friends General Conference both have active programs. The FGC website says their goal is “Reforming the Modern Prison System With Quaker Values in Mind.”
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