Fry's Island facts for kids
Fry's Island, also known as De Montfort Island, is a small island in the River Thames in England. You can find it near Reading, Berkshire. The center of Reading is to the south, and the area called Caversham is right to the north.
Fry's Island is a natural island, which means it formed on its own. The only way to get to it is by boat! The island has a private house called Demontfort House. There's also a boatyard with a home called Caversham Boat Services. And finally, there's a private bowling club known as the Island Bohemian Club. Each of these places has its own small boat service to get people to and from the island. Fry's Island is part of Reading's Abbey Ward, which is like a local neighborhood area.
Island History and Famous Events
Fry's Island is well-known for a very old and dramatic event: a trial by combat. This was a special kind of fight used in the past to decide who was right or wrong. This particular fight happened between two knights, Robert de Montfort and Henry of Essex. Henry of Essex was the person who carried the flag for King Henry II.
The Trial by Combat of 1163
The trial by combat took place in 1163. At that time, the King's court was staying at Reading Abbey. Robert de Montfort had accused Henry of Essex of being a coward and a traitor. Robert claimed that Henry had dropped the King's flag and shouted that the King was dead during a battle against the Welsh people. Henry of Essex said these accusations were not true.
King Henry decided that this argument had to be settled with a trial by combat. The fight happened right on what we now call Fry's Island. During the intense fight, Henry of Essex was badly hurt and fell down. Everyone thought he was dead, so the King told the monks from the abbey to take his body away and bury it.
But Henry of Essex was still alive! The kind monks took care of him and helped him get better. Because he had lost the fight, he was found guilty of the charges. This meant he lost his lands and his special titles. However, he was allowed to become a monk at the abbey. He lived there for the rest of his life.
Island Clubs and Buildings
The Island Bohemian Club is a long-standing club on the island. The first mention of it was in 1908, when it was called the Old Codgers Club. They changed their name to the Island Bohemian Club in 1909. The club bought the land it sits on in two steps, in 1961 and 1968.
Demontfort House was built in 1897. During World War II, this house was used as a club for American soldiers. Later, in the 1960s, it became a music club called the 'Blue Beat Island Club'.
Caversham Boat Services started in 1970. Their home and large workshop are in a building that used to belong to the Reading Rowing Club, built in 1893. Next to them was a boatyard called Bridge Boats, which started in 1958. They used to build wooden boats and later became a boat rental business in the 1980s. Caversham Boat Services took over Bridge Boats in 2009, bringing the two businesses together.
