I too have been looking into this family so was happy to find this thread.
I have been unable to find a marriage record between Frederick Lester and Sarah Fry (or Bowden) in the 10 years preceding the birth of their first child, George Fry Lester in 1857 in Bristol.
I have established and therefore agree that Sarah Fry bc 1835 in Croscombe, Somerset is, along with her brother Stephen (bc 1833) the legitimate offspring of the marriage between Elizabeth Ball (bc1805) and George Fry (bc 1810) who were married in Croscombe, Somerset on 25/09/1832.
George Fry died in 1837 and FreeReg records his burial in Croscombe on 17 September of that year.
On 25/04/1838 Elizabeth Fry (nee Ball) married William Bowden in Croscombe.
The 1851 Census (HO107 1935/107 Pg 22) records the family i.e William Bowden, Elizabeth Bowden and Elizabeth's children, Stephen Fry and Sarah Fry living in Street Somerset.
The 1861 Census (RG09 1719/8 Pg 12) records Elizabeth Bowden (nee Ball) living with and being supported by her daughter Sarah's husband, Frederick Lester. Sarah and Frederick have two children George aged 4 and Frederick (actually Anthony Frederick) as a new born.
I have been using the resources available through Familysearch and FreeReg to establish these facts and for anyone who wants to find the family on the former site the ID's are as follows:
George Fry G69V-DH7
Elizabeth Ball G7P3-C2X
Stephen Fry G69J-P72
Sarah Fry G7P3-MP2
Frederick Lester L6PM-ZQD
After reading the thread again I am now concerned about whether the Frederick Lester who was in gaol in 1851 is the same one who married Sarah Fry? Did they marry while he was serving his sentence and that's why I can't find them in the GRO Marriages Index?
