FRY, Frank Edward

Name – FRY, Frank Edward
Born – 01/06/1860
Died – 2/11/1914
Location – No 1 Methodist Section
Mother – Sarah Ann Poole
Father – Henry Fry

Notes – Frank Edward Fry was born to Sarah Ann (nee Poole) and Henry Fry in 1860 at Donald, Victoria.

Frank married Elizabeth Lyons in 1889 and they moved to Narracan for ten years. The census shows Frank with Elizabeth, and records his occupation as farmer and Elizabeth as home duties. After leaving Narracan they moved to Gloucester in New south Wales. Together they had four children, Blanche Alberta, Annie Myrtle, Arthur Franklin and Mary Dorothy. Elizabeth died at Narracan in 1901.

Frank married again in 1902 to Margaret Jane Kennedy and they had Elsie Muriel and twins Clarence and Keith and then Margaret. Frank’s wife Margaret died in 1905 shortly after her last baby was born.

Along with his father-in-law, Mr D Kennedy, Frank journeyed north to inspect the land around Tara in 1907. When Frank came to Tara, he had lost both wives and had eight children under 14 to look after. He was considered a bold, brave man. The 1909-1913 census shows he was with his daughter Elsie at Laurendal, Undulla Creek, Tara, listing him as a farmer and her as home duties. He sold his NSW farm and moved to Laurendal where he began improvements and breed beef cattle.  In later years Frank turned his hand to dairying.

In 1910 Frank was appointed as the newest magistrate for Tara. He was a very public minded chap. He was the first Chairman of the Tara Shire Council appointed in 1912. Laurendal became the districts social hub. Dances were held in the house and tennis was played on its court. Notably, the first Methodist service was also held there.

As Tara did not have a post office at the time, and all the mail for the Tara area was delivered to Laurendal. Needless to say, mail day became a social event where locals would meet up and play tennis, dance and enjoy each other’s company. Many would either camp around the area for the night or head home in the dark.

On the day Frank died he had worked all day with his son-in-law James Wilson, fixing a hay stack, then proceeded to town where he went to Fargher’s store. While in the middle of a conversation, he fell to the ground dead.

In the Tara Cemetery, Frank is remembered along with his daughter Elsie Muriel Fry and his son Arthur Franklin Fry. There is a large headstone with the following inscription – In Affectionate Remembrance of Frank Edward Fry Died Nov 2nd, 1914 aged 54 Years – Elsie Muriel Fry Died May 10th, 1914 aged 9 years – Arthur Franklin Fry A.I.F. Killed in Action Oct 2nd, 1917 Aged 22 years.

Newspaper Article – Read newspaper article here

War Service File  –

Learn more about the Tara Cemetery here.