Names on the buses

719 Elizabeth Fry

Connections with Brighton and Hove : The social reformer Elizabeth Fry visited Brighton in 1824 and was shocked at the poverty she encountered. At that time, the problem was not just people begging in the streets but also people who were poor living off scraps who lived in the town. She started the Brighton District Visiting Society which aimed to relieve distress among the poor and to encourage them to help themselves. Visitors went to their homes to comfort them and the society was so successful it was copied throughout Britain. She also supplied coastguards and other sea workers with bibles and testaments both in Brighton and elsewhere. Fry established a shelter for the homeless in London after seeing the body of a boy that had died from the cold. Born in 1780, she is best known for her efforts to make prisons more humane. She also campaigned for the abolition of capital punishment. A Quaker, she was deeply influenced by her religion in her work for the poor throughout her life. A thousand people attended her funeral in 1845. Her image has been depicted on the back of five pound notes.

719 Scania Omnicity - carried name since delivery in June 2009 on Metro 5. Metro 5 branding removed October 2013. Repainted into Route 2 livery December 2013. Route 2 branding removed May 2017. Bus sold in May 2018. Name reappeared on 469 Volvo Gemini in November 2019.