Richard  FRYER - (Abt. 1730 - 1792)

Richard FRYER was born in about 1730 and was baptized in Arlingham Parish Church on December 1st 1730. He was the son of John FRYER of Overton, Arlingham, Gloucestershire, and his wife, Mary (nee KING). Richard had an older brother named John and also one called Richard. His namesake died before Richard was born as there is a burial for him in the parish records on 16th June 1729.

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Richard, a yeoman, was mentioned in his father, John FRYER'S, will, written in 1756, although he seems to have only received a nominal sum compared to his elder brother and several of his other siblings...

"...Also I Give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Wife of Robert Knight and to my son Richard Fryer one Guinea apiece to be paid them in Six Months after my death..."

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Perhaps Richard had already been given a larger share during his father's lifetime or perhaps he received seemingly very little because he had been left a considerable amount of land and property at an early age in 1746 in the will of his maternal grandfather, Thomas KING...

...I Give and Devise unto my Grandson Richard Fryer son of John Fryer of Overton in the Parish of Arlingham in the County of Gloucester aforesaid Yeoman All that Messuage or Tenement wherein I now? have? Is Situate lying and being in the Parish of Fretherne aforesaid Together with the Malthouse Barn Stables Outhouses Buildings Gardens Orchards Courtyards Backsides? Outpotts? and Appurtenances and whatsoever to the same belonging or is anywhere Appertaining And Also all that one Orchard called the Marsh Leaze Situate lying and being in the Parish of Fretherne aforesaid together with all and Every its Appurtenances And Also all that seven acres of Meadow Ground in a Mead called Broad Mead Situate lying and being in the Parish of Moreton Valence in the County of Gloucester aforesaid with its Appurtenances belonging And Also all that Piece? or Parcel of Pasture Ground called Kevills Situate lying and being in the Parish of Fretherne aforesaid And Also Two Pieces? or Lotts of Meadow ground Situate lying and being in Sauls Warth in the County of Gloucester aforesaid The Inheritance of which said Pieces or Lotts of Meadow ground last mentioned I lately bought and Purchased to me and my heirs in free Simple of and from one Francis Wood And Also All those my Several Pieces? or Parcels of Arable land Situate and lying and being Dispersedly in Two Common fields in the Parish of Arlingham in the County of Gloucester aforesaid called Mongrove and Hills? And Also all that one acre and one half of Meadow ground situate and lying and being in a Common Mead in Arlingham aforesaid called Eastmarsh Mead The Inheritance of which said Meadow ground I lately bought and Purchased of and from one Richard Fryer ? and Richard King And Also all these free? acres of Arable land situate and lying and being in Two Commom fields in Fretherne aforesaid called Hillsfield And Also all that one half acre? of Meadow situate lying and being in Sauls? Mead lately purchased? of ? Barnes? Together with all Houses outhouses and Edifices Buildings ways wells waters Trees and Underwoods hedges hedgerows and the ground and Soil? of the same Commons Common of Pasture Advantages and Hereditaments and Appurtenances whatsoever to the abovementioned Premises belonging or in any wise appertaining thereto or unto any Part or Parcels thereof To Hold to my said Grandson Richard Fryer his Heirs and Assigns forever Charged and Chargeable with the Payment of the Several Legacies by me hereinafter given and Bequeathed unto my Granddaughters Sarah King Ann Vaughan and Betty Bonner and I do hereby Accordingly Give and Bequeath unto my said Three Granddaughters Sarah King Ann Vaughan and Betty Bonner the sum of forty Pounds apiece to be Paid to them when they shall attain their several and respective ages of five and Twenty years (Charged and to be Paid out of all and Every my Lands Tenements and hereditaments hereby by me above Devised to my said Grandson Richard Fryer...

...I further Give and Bequeath to my said Grandson the said Richard Fryer all my Horses Waggons Dung Potts all other my Utensils and Implements of Husbandry whatsoever and wheresoever...

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Richard married Mary HARVEY in the Church of St Mary, St Peter & St Paul in Westbury on Severn, Gloucestershire, in 1761. At this time Richard was resident in Fretherne, a neighbouring parish of Arlingham. The parish records of Westbury show the following details... 

Richard Fryer of the Parish of Fretherne & Mary Harvey of this parish were married by License this 10th day of Nov.r 1761 in the parish Church of Westbury by me Wm Hawkins Curate. This marriage was solemnized between us
Richard Fryer [signed]
The mark of Mary Harvey
In presence of
The mark of Sam? Harvey
The mark of Eliz. Cowles

...Incidentally, the witness, Elizabeth COWLES, married Joseph FRYER in the following year. This Joseph was one of Richard's younger brothers.

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Four of Richard and Mary's five subsequent children were baptized in Fretherne where we know from his will, that he had land. Their youngest daughter, Hannah, was baptized in Arlingham in 1775. Perhaps the family moved from Fretherne to Arlingham, probably Overton, the ancestral home of this FRYER family or maybe they simply used a different church. What is known is that Richard's elder brother, John, had inherited land in Arlingham from their father but had died some time in the early 1770's, seemingly without issue, so perhaps the land then passed to Richard and it may have been this that had prompted the move.

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Richard made a will in 1790. He died in 1792 and the will was proved by his eldest son, John, in the following year. The will reads as follows...

In the name of God Amen I Richard Fryer of Overton in the Parish of Arlingham in the County of Gloucester Gentleman being weak in Body but of a sound and disposing Mind Memory and Understanding Do hereby make and publish this my last Will and Testament in the manner following That is to say First I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Mary the Sum of One hundred and fifty Pounds to be paid to her within twelve Months next after my own Decease Next I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Sarah the Sum of One hundred and fifty Pounds to be paid to her at her age of Twenty two Years And I give unto my Daughter Hannah the Sum of One hundred Pounds to be paid to her at her Age of Twenty two Years And I give and devise my Close of Pasture Ground called Mongrove’s Leaze situate in the Parish of Arlingham aforesaid my two Acres of Land lying dispersedly in a Common Field in the said Parish of Arlingham called Mongrove and my Moiety or half part of and in a Close of Pasture Ground called Townham Mead situate in the said Parish of Arlingham with their and every of their Rights Members and Appurtenances Unto and to the Use of my Son John his Heirs and Assigns for ever charged and chargeable nevertheless and I hereby expressly charge and make liable the same in Aid of my personal Estate with and to the Payment of the aforesaid Legacies or Sums of One hundred and fifty Pounds unto my Daughter Mary One hundred and fifty Pounds to my Daughter Sarah and One hundred Pounds to my Daughter Hannah Next I give and devise my Messuage now in four Tenements my Barn and Gardens situate at Framiload in the Parish of Fretherne in the said County of Gloucester My Piece of Pasture Ground called Marsh Leaze situate in the Parish of Fretherne aforesaid My half Acre of Meadow Land in Sauls Mead in a Place there called Thornhay in the said Parish of Fretherne My Piece of Land called Kevills lying in the said Parish of Fretherne My two Pieces or Lots of Meadow Ground or Beast Pasture situate in a Common Mead in the said Parish of Fretherne called Sauls Wharth My six Acres of Land lying dispersed in two Common Fields in the Parish of Saul in the said County of Gloucester called Hillfield and Sauls Marsh or Marshfield My House and Orchard situate at Pridend in the Parish of Arlingham aforesaid My Rudge of Land situate in a Common Field called the Hills in the Parish of Arlingham aforesaid at a Place there called Cobble Street My five Pieces or Parcels of Land lying in East Marsh Mead in the said Parish of Arlingham containing by Estimation one Acre and a quarter which I purchased of Thomas Baron? My four Pieces or Parcels of Land in the same Mead containing by Estimation about one Acre and a half which was devised to me by the Will of my late Grandfather Thomas King deceased My ten Acres of Land lying dispersedly in two Common Fields in the said Parish of Arlingham called Hills and Barns and my small Orchard situate near to Weston Green in the said Parish of Arlingham called Weston Green Patch with their and every of their Rights Members and Appurtenances Unto and to the Use of my Son Richard his Heirs and Assigns for ever charged and chargeable nevertheless and I hereby expressly charge and make liable the same Lands hereby devised to my said son Richard with the Payment of the Sum of fifty Pounds unto my said Daughter Hannah on her attaining the Age of Twenty two Years and I give and bequeath the said Sum of fifty Pounds to my said Daughter Hannah for her own Use And All my Stock of Horses Cattle Corn Goods Chattels Rights Credits and all other my Personal Estate and Effects whatsoever I give and bequeath unto my said Son John to and for his own Use And I do hereby make and appoint him my said Son John sole Executor of this my Will hereby revoking all former Wills by me made and declaring this only to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I the said Richard Fryer the Testator have hereunto set my Hand and Seal the Twenty sixth Day of June in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety

The Mark of Richard Fryer

Signed sealed published and declared by the said Richard Fryer the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the Presence of us who at his request and in his Presence and in the Presence of each other have subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto (The words and all other my being first interlined)
John Warren
Thos Sovey?
Gabel Barnos

25th May 1793

The above names John Fryer the Son and Executor was duly sworn before me
Tho Rudge Sur?

Sworn ? ?
£300

This will was proved the 25 May 1793 Before the Revd Thomas Rudge Surrogate to the Worshipful Edward Cooke a ? Vicar General in Spirituals of the Right Reverend Father in God Richard by Divine Permission Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Gloucester & of his Episcopal Consistory Official Principal lawfully constituted by John Fryer the son & Sole Executor ? to ? ? having first sworn will faithfully to administer to the said Will & also to Exhibit an Inventory & render an Account ?

? ? Will & for Inventory and Account
Jn Warren
Jn Fryer

? 30th May 1793

WH? Hopkins Proctor

Edward Cooke Master of Arts Vicar General in Spirituals of the Right Reverend Father in God by divine Permission Lord Bishop of Gloucester and of his Episcopal Consistory Official Principal lawfully constituted To our beloved in Christ Stephen Hunt Derv? our Sworn Apparitor Greeting We do hereby command you forthwith peremptorily to cite John Fryer of Overton in the Parish of Arlingham in the County and Diocese of Gloucester Gentleman the Executor named of and in the last Will and Testament of Richard Fryer late of the same place Gentleman deceased to appear before Us our Surrogate or some other competent Judge in this behalf in the Cathedral Church of Gloucester and the Bishops Consistorial place there on Thursday the Thirtieth day of May instant at the usual hour for hearing of Causes these then and there to exhibit and bring into court the true Original last Will and Testament of the said Richard Fryer deceased and prove the same in common form of Law or otherwise to refuse and renounce the Probate and Burthen of the Execution thereof And also to exhibit upon his Corporal Oath a full true perfect and particular Inventory Of all and singular the Goods Chattels Rights Credits and Personal Estate of the said deceased which since his death have come to his Hands Possession or Knowledge or to the Hands Possession or Knowledge of any Person or Persons In Trust for him and render a just and true Account of his Receipts and Disbursements thereof At the voluntary Promotion of John Warren of Fretherne in the Diocese of Gloucester aforesaid Fisherman a Legatee named in the last Will and Testament of the said deceased And further to do and receive in this behalf as Justice shall require under pain of the Law and contempt thereof And what you do in the Premises do ye Certify? to Us our Surrogate or some other competent Judge in this behalf together with these Presents at the time and place aforesaid - Given under the Seal of our Office this Sixteenth day of May in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety three
Thos Rudge D Rogr?

...It is not known why Richard marked his will instead of signing, even though he had signed the marriage register when he'd married Mary HARVEY, perhaps his health or sight was failing him.

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Richard FRYER was approximately 61 years old when he died. The parish registers of Arlingham recorded his burial...

18th May 1792 - Richard Fryer. Yeoman

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Photographs of St Mary the Virgin's Church in Arlingham can be viewed in the Gallery as can photographs of Arlingham itself and a video clip of the view overlooking Arlingham.

Richard FRYER's story is included in the document, The Fryer Family of Overton Arlingham, Gloucestershire, available for download in the Shop.

A copy of Richard's signature can be found in the 'Resources > Fryer Miscellany' section.

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