Born: May 30, 1838, Alderbury, Wiltshire, England (birth name: William Charles Fry).
Died: August 24, 1882, Park Hall, Polmont, Stirlingshire, Scotland.
Buried: Glasgow, Scotland. On New Year’s Day 1884, a monument to The first bandmaster of the Salvation Army
was unveiled over his grave. On it was inscribed a verse Fry wrote:
The former things are past,
And ended is the strife,
I’m safe home at last!
I live an endless life!
A bricklayer by trade, like his father, Fry was a versatile musician, playing the violin, cello, piano, cornet, and harmonium, and leading an orchestra and band at the Wesleyan chapel in Alderbury.
He also helped the Christian Mission in Salisbury, and his family band accompanied Salvation Army founder William Booth in evangelism campaigns.