Tranthim-Fryer was born John Robertson Fryer in
Hobart,
Tasmania, the only son of James Robertson Fryer (c. 1825 – 5 February 1897), a Hobart
merchant, and his wife Marianne Delve Fryer, née Briant (died 12 December 1894). They had a home, "Alverstoke,” in
West Hobart. He showed an early interest in art, which was encouraged by William Schuetz (died 1905), a Hobart artist. In 1884, he took art classes under
Achille Simonetti and
Lucien Henry at the
Sydney Technical College, in which he was highly successful, winning a scholarship for a further two years' training. culminating in 1889 with a qualification from the South Kensington institution. Thus accredited, in June 1890 he was appointed secretary of Tasmania's Technical Education Board, in which capacity he first became known by the surname Tranthim-Fryer. While in that position he criticised the way sketching was taught in the school, naming W. H. Charpentier in particular. In February 1891, following the resignation of Mr Kingsmill, he was put in charge of the Art class at Hobart Technical College and formally appointed that same month. He took a year's leave of absence in 1896 to study at the
Lambeth School of Sculpture, then applied for an extension, as he was working as an assistant to
Edward Onslow Ford in
London, also gaining casting experience at the
Albion Art Bronze Foundry, while Mrs Tranthim-Fryer was studying singing and harmony with Dr
Churchill Sibley. He resigned his Hobart position sometime in 1897. Tranthim-Fryer returned to Australia around New Year's Day 1900, having gained several distinctions while in England, as had his wife, who furthered her musical studies under
Tosti and
Santley. After a brief return to Hobart, they moved to Melbourne, where he opened a studio in the Queen's Buildings, Rathdown Street. and exhibited with the
Victorian Artists' Society. and the Yarra Sculptors' Society, founded by
C. D. Richardson. In 1903 he was appointed Art Director of the
Sale School of Mines and Arts, and in June 1904 was appointed director of the Working Men's College and School of Art,
Horsham. In December 1905 he was appointed art teacher of
Gordon Technical College,
Geelong, and in May 1908 was appointed that college's delegate to the board of the Technical Art Teachers' Association. Melbourne's
Eastern Suburbs Technical College was founded in 1908 by a local committee with support from the Premier,
Thomas Bent, and a site in John Street,
Hawthorn was vested in
George Swinburne MLA, Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Water Supply as provisional trustee. Swinburne and his wife were its principal subscribers, with £1,000 each. The first meeting of its council, elected by subscribers, was held in July and voted to proceed with its construction without delay. In December 1908 Tranthim-Fryer was appointed director on a salary of £300 p.a. and the opening set for 10 February 1909. The college was handed over to Government control in October 1912 and renamed
Swinburne Technical College. £10,111 had been spent on its establishment, of which £3,718 came from private donations, and the remainder from the Government. Most employees, including Tranthim-Fryer, were retained under the new regime. Under his guidance, the school became a respected institution. He retired, due to ill-health, on 30 June 1928, and died at his residence, "Bush Home", Croydon Road,
Bayswater a few weeks later. His remains were cremated at the
Fawkner Cemetery. ==Other interests==