John Denis (Jack) Fryer was born on 11 September 1895 at Springsure, Queensland, son of Charles George Fryer and Rosina Fryer (née Richards). Charles and Rosina had seven children: Elizabeth Stuart (later Gilmour), William Thomas, Charles George, Henry Hardy, John Denis, Richard Alexander James and Walter Ponsonby. Jack won a scholarship to the University of Queensland and commenced study in 1915. By the end of first term, Jack decided to volunteer for military service in the first Australian Imperial Force. He was commissioned in 1916 and went to France. On 4 August 1918 the Fifty-First Battalion was in the line near Amiens when they were attacked; among the casualties was Lieutenant Fryer who had wounds to his arm, leg and thighs. After being hospitalised in Britain, Jack returned to Australian in July 1919. He re-enrolled at the University of Queensland for the first term of 1920 to complete his English honours examinations. While at University he was engaged in extra-curricular activities such as cricket, rugby, editing magazines including Galmahra with P. R. 'Inky' Stephensen, the Dramatic Society, contributed to the recently-founded St. John's College magazine Argo (using the pseudonym 'Chut'). In September 1922 he was hospitalised for tuberculosis. His mother travelled from Brisbane in December 1922 and took him home to Springsure in early January 1923. He died on 7 February 1923. In 1926, as a memorial to their former member and vice-president, members of the University of Queensland Dramatic Society donated £10 to establish a collection of works in Australian literature. The Fryer collection was maintained in the English Department until the 1950s when it became part of the University of Queensland Library.

The Fryer family of Springsure, Queensland, began with the marriage between Rosina Richards (16 Aug 1865-24 Aug 1949) and Irish-born Charles George Fryer (1856-1944) on 19 December 1883. They had six sons and one daughter. The children were: Elizabeth Stuart Gilmour (née Fryer) (21 Dec 1884-10 Jul 1984); William Thomas Fryer (20 Feb 1887-21 Feb 1946); Charles George Fryer (2 Jul 1889-10 Apr 1917); Henry Hardy Fryer (15 Mar 1892-17 Sep 1990); John Denis (11 Sep 1895-7 Feb 1923); Richard Alexander James (23 Oct 1899-17 Jun 1986) and Walter Ponsonby (18 Jan 1906-16 May 1980).

Elizabeth Stuart Fryer married James Stephen Gilmour. They had three children: Eunice Catherine Gilmour (11 Nov 1921-1 Jan 2022), Alexis Rosena Gilmour (7 Jan 1924-1993) and John Charles Gilmour (3 Sep 1925-2007).

Henry Hardy Fryer married Irene Margaret Holmes (22 Apr 1898-23 Apr 1948) on 21 November 1923.

Richard Alexander James Fryer married Myrtle Ellen Rowlands (19 Apr 1913-2011) on 11 November 1934.

Walter Ponsonby Fryer married Emma Amelia Simpkins on 9 October 1935.