Edward Downes Edward Downes Sir Edward Thomas ("Ted") Downes, CBE (17 June 1924 – 10 July 2009) was an English conductor, specialising in opera. He was associated with the Royal Opera House from 1952, and with Opera Australia from 1970. He was also well known for his long working relationship with the BBC Philharmonic and for working with the Netherlands Radio Orchestra. Within the field of opera, he was particularly known as a conductor of Verdi. He and his wife, Lady (Joan) Downes, committed assisted suicide at the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland on 10 July 2009, an event that received significant media
Joan Mary Fry was placed permanently in a mental hospital, she helped her brother Roger with bringing up their children. Fry died in London on 25 November 1955. as listed in the catalogue of the Library of the Religious Society of Friends, London 'Papers in collections' Joan Mary Fry Joan Mary Fry (27 July 1862 – 25 November 1955) was an English Quaker campaigner for peace and social reform. Joan Fry was born on 27 July 1862 in London, into a wealthy family of Quakers. She was the daughter of a judge, Sir Edward Fry and his wife, Mariabella Hodgkin (1833 – 1930),