Elizabeth Fry (1780–1845)
Elizabeth Gurney, born in Norwich in 1780 to a wealthy Quaker family, married Joseph Fry in 1800 and had 11 children. In 1813, she began visiting female prisoners in Newgate Prison, highlighting unsanitary conditions to the House of Commons and advocating for reforms. Her efforts led to improved prison conditions, including better cells, schools for children, and opportunities for women to work.
A tireless campaigner for penal reform and the abolition of capital punishment, Fry also aided the homeless, supported vaccination efforts, and founded a nursing school in 1840 that inspired Florence Nightingale. She died in 1845, leaving a legacy of social reform recognised on the Bank of England £5 note from 2002–2017.