Continued from front page

C.B.Fry practised his batting skills in the nets in his garden, with his wife Beattie bowling and two dogs fielding. He was a leading batsman for the Sussex team and his formidable wife drove him all over the country in his motor-car to play in his many matches. During the winter he quickly adapted to playing football for the Saints' team during 1900-1902.
A classics scholar graduating from Wadham College, Oxford, Fry's extensive versatility led to him using his journalistic skills to edit sporting books and write regularly for various newspapers and magazines at that time. As a result he travelled to London regularly. At Glenbourne House, which he freely admitted he rarely saw during the cricket season, he and his wife brought up two further children with the help of servants. In 1906, an injury to his Achilles tendon forced Fry to stay home for the summer and Beatie encouraged him to write his only novel, "A Mother's Son" with her assistance. This sentimental story about an all-round hero, strongly resembling himself, sold reasonably well but would not appeal to modern tastes.
Incidently, during his time at West End, C.B. claimed that he was approached to start the Scouting Movement in Britain, but turned it down as an unfeasible proposition.

C.B.FRY IN T.S. MERCURY UNIFORM

A decision he probably regretted since its success under the leadership of R. Baden-Powell saw its centenary celebrated this year (2007).
Following the death of their sponsor and banker, Charles Hoare in 1908, Beatie took over the running of T.S. Mercury, the training ship for boys at Hamble. The Fry family promptly moved from West End to a mansion at Hamble to manage the establishment and there follows another story recounted in "The Captain's Lady...the Indomitable Beatie" by Ronald Morris.
This is only a small part of the complex life led by C.B. Fry and his wife, and I would urge you to read one of several biographies describing the life of this unusual couple. Fry's own autobiography "Life Worth Living" was printed in the 1930's.

Note: A few copies of Pauline Berry's own biography "C.B. Fry...his Golden Year's at West End", in A4 format with many photographs, are still available from the author directly or from the WELHS Museum bookshop priced at a very modest £5.00 plus postage.

NEW BITTERNE BOOK NOW AVAILABLE

A new book about Bitterne has just been published in the Halsgrove Community History series by Bitterne Local History Society. It is entitled "The Book of Bitterne..from Roman Town to City Suburb" and contains over 250 photographs and is a "must" for anyone remotely associated with Bitterne, past or present. Available from BLHS shop or directly from Halsgrove priced at £19.99 plus postage and packing, it is not the cheapest book around but it is hardback, profusely illustrated and well worth a read.
To buy online visit:  www.halsgrove.co.uk/ch07/bitterne.php
Over two years in the making this represents amazing work by the editorial team of Deidre & Denis Abraham, Ian Abrahams, Joy Bowyer, Pete Crawford and Keith Marsh. If you would like to view a copy - there is one in our Museum Library courtesy of Peter Andrews--many thanks Peter!
All in all well worth a read, go on treat yourself for Christmas!     Ed