Elizabeth Fry 			October 12
Prison Reformer
Born at Norwich, England, in 1780, Elizabeth Gurney was brought up in a wealthy Quaker family. Her marriage in 1800 to Joseph Fry, another member of the Society of Friends, took her to London. There the poverty and degradation she could not help but notice became more and more of a challenge to her religious beliefs. The Quakers were one of the first Christian groups to recognise the equality of the sexes and to advocate education for women. This background and her independence of mind and firmness of character soon led her to find practical outlets for her concern. Despite her growing responsibility for the care of a large family, by 1808 she was able to establish a girls’ school at Plashet, near East Ham in London. The Society of Friends recognised her work when in 1811 they acknowledged her as a “minister”.
Two years later in 1813 she became so concerned with the horrendous prison conditions of the time that she began her welfare work with the women prisoners in Newgate gaol. As well as daily visits, she undertook a programme of regular Bible readings and sewing classes, and this soon led to a realisation that in itself such a programme was inadequate. In 1817 she launched a campaign for prison reform, which had as its aims the separation of the sexes, the employment of women warders to supervise women prisoners, the classification of prisoners, the provision of both religious and secular education, and the creation of useful employment. A year later she was invited to give evidence on prison conditions before a select committee of the House of Commons. Her submission was influential in shaping subsequent legislation, both in the United Kingdom and in other European countries, which quickly recognised her as a leading promoter of prison reform. Her concern for the welfare of prisoners and her knowledge of the effects on their future lives of a custodial sentence culminated in 1839 in the formation of a society devoted to the care and rehabilitation of former offenders.
Other causes in addition to prison reform benefited from Elizabeth’s desire to assist those who had neither the means nor the energy to reshape their lives. In 1820 she was involved in the establishment of a “Nightly Shelter for the Homeless” in London, and later in her life she was also instrumental in the formation of societies in and beyond London which were concerned with the plight of those reduced to beggary. The conditions suffered by those unfortunate enough to be confined to psychiatric hospitals were also a matter of concern, and she did a great deal to bring about improvements in the hospital system and in particular the treatment of the insane. In 1836 she was able to arrange for the provision of libraries in coastguard stations and in certain naval hospitals.
Underpinning all her philanthropic work was her deep religious faith, and throughout her life active evangelisation was never separated from social action. In 1827, together with her brother J.J. Gurney, Elizabeth wrote a report on social conditions in Ireland, where extreme poverty was widespread. But the work which most clearly emphasised her convictions was a devotional book called Texts for Every Day in the Year. This was first published in 1831 and ran into several editions before her death in 1845.
For Liturgical Use
Elizabeth Fry was born in Norwich in 1780. She was a member of the Society of Friends, and her deep religious faith found a practical outlet in her lifelong commitment to prison reform. Her daily visits to women prisoners in Newgate gaol enabled her to see for herself the degradation they suffered. She began a campaign for reform, which was instrumental in bringing about change. She was also involved in the establishment of a “Nightly Shelter for the Homeless”, and before her death in 1845 she founded a society for the care and rehabilitation of former offenders.
Sentence
Because of the blood of my covenant with you, says the Lord, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.	Zechariah 9:11
Collects
Gracious and loving God,
you bring good tidings to the afflicted,
bind up the broken-hearted, 
and proclaim liberty to the captives;
we thank you for sending Elizabeth Fry 
into the prisons with words of comfort and deeds of care:
grant that all who minister to those in prison 
may be filled with your compassion
and be bearers of your hope;
through Jesus Christ our Redeemer.

Blessed are you, Jesus our good shepherd,
in Elizabeth your minister.
Year after year she visited women
in prisons and asylums.
May we too understand and care for people 
unconditionally.
Psalms	41	82
Readings
Genesis 39:20-23		Joseph in prison
Romans 12:9-21		Christian duty
Matthew 25:31-45		You did it to me
Post Communion Sentence
Strive first for the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.		Matthew 6:33