Mary Beacock Fryer (1929–2017)

Many of us here at The Friends of Fort York were deeply saddened to learn that Mary Beacock Fryer passed away on 29 October 2017. An accomplished author, historian, and teacher, Mary earned an Honours BA in Geography from the University of Toronto in 1952 and an MA in Historical Geography from the University of Edinburgh in 1954. Upon returning to Canada, she worked as a teaching assistant, a map curator, and a town planner before beginning her career as an author in 1974.

Fryer published more than fifteen titles with the Ontario-focused Dundurn Press, including Our Young Soldier (1996), Battlefields of Canada (1986), and John Graves Simcoe, 1752–1806: A Biography (1998). Well-known as an expert on Upper Canada history, the Simcoe family, and the United Empire Loyalists, Mary often wrote on topics that intersected with the history of Fort York, particularly her comprehensive volumes dealing with the historic battlefields of Canada.

Her books have had a significant impact upon Ontario’s historical discourse and she leaves an indelible legacy of work for future generations to build upon. Mary’s achievements were recognized with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, presented in 2012 for her service to Canadian History.

We offer our sincere condolences to Mary’s friends and family, her husband, their children, and grandchildren.