Edmund Fry and Son , letter founders and engravers x Edmund Fry and Company x Fry, Steele and Company J S Fry and Sons , chocolate manufacturers

Edmund Fry and Son , letter founders and engravers x Edmund Fry and Company x Fry, Steele and Company J S Fry and Sons , chocolate manufacturers

Originally founded 1764 by Joseph Fry (who also founded the chocolate making business in Bristol which became known as Fry and Hunt, later J S Fry and Sons from 1822) and William Pine, and later known as J Fry and Company. Joseph Fry's sons Edmund (1754-1837) and Henry Fry joined partnership in 1782. Name changed to Edmund Fry and Company upon Joseph Fry's retirement in 1787. Isaac Steele joined in 1794 and the named changed to Edmund Fry and Isaac Steele, styled as 'letter-founders to the Prince of Wales'. The named changed again to Fry, Steele and Company upon George Knowles' admission to the partnership in 1799, and in circa 1808 to Fry and Steele.

In 1816 a 'Specimen of Printing Types by Edmund Fry, Letter Founder to the King and Prince Regent' was published. In the same year the firm became Edmund Fry and Son when Edmund Fry's son Windover Fry was admitted to the partnership. In 1828 Edmund Fry sold the business to William Thorowgood of Fann Street Foundry. Windover died 1835. Edmund died 1837. The business passed to Thorowgood and Besley, then R Besley and Company, and finally Sir Charles Reed and Sons before closing in early 20th century.

Premises: 1764-1768 Bristol; moved to City of London 1768; in 1788 the firm moved to new premises known as 'Type Street Foundry' in Type Street, Chiswell Street, City of London. The foundry was later known as Polygot Foundry (in 1824) and continued at that site until at least 1835.