Samuel Ryder's grave

Image: © Ian Capper Taken: 26 Jun 2012

Grave of Samuel Ryder in Hatfield Road Cemetery. In the 1890s Samuel Ryder started a seed business in his garden shed at his home in Folly Lane, St Albans, selling seeds in penny packets which he sent by post, using St Albans' transport links. As the businees expanded, he had to move premises a few times, ending up in a premises on Holywell Hill, which he bought in 1903. The main head office was built in 1911 and twenty years later an exhibition hall was added for displaying the company's products including plants grown from his seeds (see Image for both buildings). It was designed by the same architect as the office building, Percival Blow, and built by local builders Miskin. Eventually the company was taken over by Suttons Seeds. Samuel Ryder also co-founded with his brother the herbal business Heath and Heather, which had a prominent warehouse just south of St Albans City Station, the business eventually being sold to Holland and Barrett. But Samuel Ryder was much more than a very successful businessman. He was a local councillor between 1903 and 1916, and was elected Mayor of St Albans in 1905. He was also a very religious man, acting as a deacon of the local congregational church (see Image), to which he contributed part of the building cost. But his most lasting gift was in the world of golf, a sport he took up at the age of 49 for health reasons, playing at Verulam Golf Club where he was three times captain. Through his company Heath and Heather he sponsored a number of professional golf tournaments, before in 1926 proposing a challenge match between the USA and Great Britain & Ireland. The cup he presented for the winner was the Ryder Cup, still the greatest team competition in golfing world. He died on 2 January 1936, aged 77.

Images are licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0