Crutchley & Fry

Submitted by edpope on

22.5.1807 call on Binney, S Nicholson, Stephens & Nicholson / 23.05.1807 call on Binney & Stephens, & w. Stephens on Crutchley & Fry / 27.5.1807 call on Crutchley (not seen) / 1.6.1811 call on Fry, on Cumberland / 26.11.1811 call on Fry

Holdens 1811 Henry Fry & William Cruchley (secretary to Knight Marshal of King's household) attornies 14 John-st Bedford-row. If Stephens was Alexander Stephens (DNB 1757-1821) though mainly known as a writer he was also a lawyer and perhaps introduced Godwin to Fry & Crutchley (perhapson a mission connected with William Nicholson DNB 1753-1815 who was probably under arrest for debt at that point). Richard Cumberland (DNB 1732-1811) died on 7.5.1811 "at Mr Henry Fry's in Bedford-pl Russel-sq" (Gents Mag). In Holden's directory 1811 (court) there were two Henry Fry esqs, one at 30 Bedford-pl Russell-sq and one at 29 Hart-st Bloomsbury, and an H Fry esq at 12 Holborn-ct Grays Inn. However the Fry of 1807 seems likely to have been the Fry of 1811, as there was a chancery suit (Nat Arch C 13/127/27 not yet seen) in 1811 between Richard Cumberland (shortly before his death) and William Cruchley. Later that year on 16.11.1811 Henry Fry money scrivener of Bedford-pl Russell-sq was declared bankrupt (Nat Arch B 3/1677 not yet seen). Godwin's call ten days later may have been in response to seeing Fry's bankruptcy in the papers. Fry's lease and furniture at Bedford-place were up for auction on 18.12.1811 (Morn Chron that day).and the Morn Chron of 23.12.1811 announced the auction of Cumberland-house Tunbridge Wells by Fry's assignees on 17.1.1812.