Silas Fry and his wife Lydia were a pretty dynamic couple. When Silas died in 1925 the North Wilts Herald published a lengthy obituary detailing his many accomplishments, which included his work as a member of Swindon Town Council, his membership of the old Gorse Hill Cricket Club and his lifelong membership of the Primitive Methodist Church.
Primitive Methodist Chapel, Cricklade Road, Gorse Hill
Silas was born in 1874, the son of Oliver Fry, newsagent/grocer and Primitive Methodist preacher, and his first wife Esther Ayliffe. He grew up in Gorse Hill and never moved away, living with his wife Lydia at first 110 Chapel Street and then 71 Cricklade Road where he died on June 14, 1925.
Death of a Swindon Councillor
Mr Silas Fry’s Many Activities
The Funeral
The death occurred on Sunday of Mr Silas Fry, a member of the Swindon Town Council and a well known figure in many departments of public life in the town.
A few months ago Mr Fry, who was 51 years of age, underwent a serious operation at a Swindon nursing home, and he made such good progress afterwards that strong hopes were entertained that he would make a complete recovery, but he suffered a relapse.
A son of Mr Oliver Fry, who was prominently identified with local government affairs, deceased was at one time a member of the Swindon and Highworth Board of Guardians, and on his retirement from that body he was succeeded by his wife, who is still an active and useful member. In November 1922, Mr Fry was elected to the Town Council as one of the representatives of North Ward, and in that capacity he rendered much useful public service. He served on the Watch and Pleasure Grounds Committee, being this year’s vice chairman, and other committees of which he was a member were the Sewage and Allotments, Works and Streets, General Purposes and Emergency, and the Swindon and District Hospital Board.
Deceased had been organist at the Gorse Hill Primitive Methodist Church since he was nine years of age, and when the services were conducted in the old chapel, now used as the Salvation Army Barracks. He was also Superintendent of the Sunday School, and president of the local Christian Endeavour. For 20 years Mr Fry was choirmaster, succeeding the late Mr J.J. Henly. He was also one of the pioneers of the old Gorse Hill Perseverance Cricket Club, which afterwards became the Gorse Hill Primitive Methodist. He was a keen cricketer, and played until four years ago.
Extracts from the North Wilts Herald, Friday, June 19, 1925.
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He was a doer, wasn’t he?
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