Henry Fryer was the third child of Thomas Fryer and Jane Woolley. Father Thomas was a master baker, but it appears Henry took up a different trade, as Settlement Examination records in 1778 mention Henry had been an apprentice to Thomas Prime of Birchover for 7 years as a Cordwainer from the age of 12.
A Cordwainer was a boot or shoemaker who made new shoes from leather. I suspect we have the correct Henry in these records, as one of Henry's sons - his namesake Henry, born 1790 is listed as a Shoemaker in the 1871 census.
If Henry learned his trade in Birchover,which is likely where he met his wife Ann who was born there in 1752, he did return to Winster, as he married Ann Twigg on 10th December 1776 at St Johns church in Winster, and all of his 12 children were born in Winster. In addition, both Henry and his wife Ann are both buried in Winster.
Henry and his wife Ann had a total of 11 children, however they also suffered some incredible sadness. 1794/5 was such a year for them, with the death of 3 children- second son Joseph, and third son Thomas and youngest child Thomas Twigg Fryer (most likely named after his recently deceased older brother) who died as an infant in 1794 and then 3 year old Mary died a few months later in February 1795. What the children died of is unknown, however in other areas of England Typhoid was rampant, and 1794 was noted as being an extremely cold winter, in fact the coldest since records had begun in the mid 1600s.
In addition , 11 years earlier it appears Henry and Ann lost a baby daughter Ann who was born in February and was buried on Boxing day of that same year.
Henry died aged 50 in 1807. He is buried in St John the Baptist churchyard Winster. His wife Ann lived another 25 years, dying on 28th May 1832. She was also buried on 31st May at St John the Baptist in Winster.
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