Obituary

1912, February 6th

Sir Theodore Fry, formerly M.P. for Darlington, died yesterday at his residence, Beechhanger Court, Caterham in his 77th year. He had been unwell for some time.

This family claims Saxon origin, and has held lands in Wiltshire from an early period. The late baronet, who was a cousin of Sir Edward Fry and of the Right Hon. Lewis Fry, was the second son of Mr. Francis Fry, F.S.A., of Cotham, Bristol, antiquary and biographer. He was born on May 1, 1836, and received his education at a public school at Bristol, following this up with a thorough commercial training which stood him in good stead in the varied activities of later years.

At the age of 26 he married Sophia, daughter and co-heir of Mr. John Pease, of Darlington, and granddaughter of Edward Pease, the father of railways. Four years later he came to live a Darlington, and in conjunction with the late Mr. I'Anson he founded the Rise Carr rolling mills at Darlington under the style of Fry, I'Anson, and Co. In course of time he took over his partner's interest, and the undertaking was converted into a private limited company, in 1890 and gradually passed into other hands. He was an original director of the Weardale, Shildon, and Consett Water Company, and remained on the board for upwards of 40 years, retiring quite recently in favour of his eldest son. Other undertakings with which he had been associated were Messrs. Sadler and Sons (Limited), Middlesbrough, the Bearpark Coal and Coke Company (Limited), Messrs. Ruston, Procter, and Co. (Limited), Lincoln, and the Cleveland Trust. He had practically severed his connection with the Darlington Rise Carr rolling mills ten years ago, and since then had lived in the South of England.

From the first Sir Theodore took a prominent part in public life. In the sixties and seventies he did admirable work on the Darlington Board of Guardians, the School Board (of which he was vice-chairman), and the Town Council, and filled the mayoral chair with some distinction in 1877-8. He also served on the Durham County Council, being elevated to the aldermanic bench, and he was for many years chairman of the Darlington Training College for Women. In politics he was a staunch Liberal. In 1880, when the late Mr. Edmund Backhouse retired, he was returned for Darlington in the Liberal interest, and held the seat till 1895. He was opposed by Sir William Wilson Todd in 1885 and by Mr. Arnold-Foster in the year following. In 1892 he defeated the late Mr. Arthur Pease by 56 votes, but Mr. Pease won the seat in 1895. He was created a baronet in 1894.

Sir Theodore was man of many interests outside his business and public activities. He was a great traveller and a collector of antiquities of various kinds. Etruscan, Greek, and Roman, Peruvian pottery, glass, and oak furniture. He was particularly proud of a famous collection of old Bibles which had mainly come down to him from his father. He was a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and a life member of University College, London.

Lady Fry died in 1897, and in 1902 Sir Theodore married Florence, daughter of Mr. William Bates, of Oakdene, Claughton, by whom he had issue a daughter. By his first wife he had issue four sons and for daughters. The eldest son, who succeeds to the title, is Mr. John Pease Fry, who was born in 1864, and married, in 1891, Margaret, daughter of Mr. F. E. Fox, of Tamerton Foliot, Plymouth, by whom he had issue three sons and three daughters. The new baronet contested the Eccles Division of Lancashire in 1900. Another son is Mr. T. W. Fry, stipendiary magistrate for Middlesbrough.

The funeral will be at St. Mary's, Caterham, at 2.30 on Thursday, after service at St. John's Church, Caterham, at 2.

Source: The Times