The wife of a London Quaker, Joseph Fry, she subsequently became recognized as a preacher in the Society of Friends. After a visit to Newgate prison in 1813, horrified by what she found there, she began to press for more humane treatment for women prisoners. Her unflagging determination resulted in eventual reform. She visited other European countries to advocate improvement in prison conditions and in the treatment of the insane. She also founded hostels for the homeless.