Elizabeth Fry was born in England in 1780 to an affluent and influential Quaker family. Loyal to the Quaker tradition, she spent much of her time helping the poor and the sick.

In 1813 while visiting the prison for women at Newgate, she realized that these impoverished women were in urgent need of advice and support. 

This young volunteer created a school for these women and offered them work in order that they may have a little bit of money upon their release.

In 1817, she made recommendations to the British House of Commons with the goal of humanizing the prison system.