Margery Fry
Isabel’s younger sister, Margery Fry (1874 – 1958), was a magistrate, librarian and penal reformer. The majority of her political life was concentrated around the reform of public education the penal system, as a practical approach to human rights.
Isabel’s diaries contain many references to Margery and speak fondly and proudly of her achievements. The sisters maintained a close relationship throughout their life, with Margery taking care of Isabel when she fell ill.
The bond of the sisters is clearly seen in Isabel’s diaries. She speaks of her sibling with pride and adoration - sometime with stories of her work and sometimes with reference to the more mundane. Margery is a recurring character that is central to Isabel’s intellectual and social positions.
The pursuits, both social and intellectual, afforded to both sisters through their position in society are central to the diary entries of Isabel.
Margery stood for election as a candidate for West Bristol in 1918. Not only is Isabel proud of her sister but she is also proud of the achievement brought about by female suffrage: ‘A few years ago women are still madly & desperately smashing windows, & now, before we have even been allowed to experience the expected anomaly of being allowed to vote’. Isabel’s social and political environment is demonstrated here through her proximity to the fight for votes for women.
Unfortunately, Margery steps down from election. Isabel is unsure why, but there is a sadness because she feels that Margery can achieve great things if she is granted the position. No doubt the ‘nincompoop’ Lieutenant George Gibbs has something to do with it…
Transcript: "Things are amazing. A few years ago women are still madly and desperately smashing windows, and now, before we have even been allowed to experience the expected anomaly of being allowed to vote, but being limited in own choice to men, here is my own sister being asked to contest a constituency.
Nov. 30. Margery has retired from the West Bristol Election, I don’t yet know why, but I fear that one may regard it as symptomatic of the difficulties to which Lieutenant George has manage to reduce the opposition."
Margery was appointed the first female magistrate in London, through her work with the Howard League for Penal Reform. Isabel’s pride in her sister’s achievement resonates in this diary entry: she knows her sister will have the power to implement the necessary changes.
Not only was Margery a magistrate for penal reform, she was actively involved in the fight against fascism in the First World War. Isabel’s entry of 15th December 1941 describes Margery’s work with the Aliens Tribunal. Although, the political climate was uncertain for Hong Kong, China and Japan, the passing mention to the ‘very deaf Francis Lindley’ makes for a memorable day.
Through her position and knowledge Margery wrote a book on Children’s Court. She was clearly a woman of formidable talent.
Transcript: "Margery has been appointed a woman magistrate for London. I am delighted this will mean immensely extended power of carrying out her ideas of penal reform and will give her a very distinct prestige for that work.
Margery went off for a long day at Bow Street and then to speak at a Penal Reform conference at Cambridge.
Dec. 15. 41 – Margery came back from London – sitting on the Aliens Tribunal, (with the very deaf and fascist Francis Lindley) with very serious accounts of what is likely to happen in Hong Kong. F. L. who knows – Japan and China well, thinks it can’t possibly hold out, & to give would be to give oneself up to the cruellest enemy in this cruel world.
June. 5. 42. Margery & Champion on Russell’s little book notebook for the Children’s Court, is out, a day or two. Highly technical of course, though in simple language."
In the entry for 17th August 1941 Isabel describes the siutation witnessed by Margery when she released 'Marxmen' in the Isle of Man - they 'howled and demonstrated so firecely'. The descriptive language describes the event vividly, even though it was a second hand account from Margery.
Transcript: "Aug. 17. 41: Margery has returned from Isle of Man, having ‘released’ 5 or 6 Communists. The Marxmen were so angry at having the British Fascists sent that when the boat arrived and the idiots making the Fascist salute called out ‘Isle of Man! Here we come!’ the Marxmen simply howled and demonstrated so fiercely that the authorities daren’t land them till 5 the next morning!"
All the Fry daughters remained unmarried. They were taught from a young age that there is more to life than marriage for a woman. Their father was a key influence who was actively involved in all parts of their education. This liberal Quaker upbringing is seen in Margery Fry’s book: The Single Woman. The book reflects her thoughts on marriage and her belief that the single life was a way that allowed her to focus on her own concerns.