Samuel Ryder (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Samuel Ryder

4:25pm Friday 6th August 2010 in Heritage

Whether as an entrepreneur, family man, churchman, mayor, or the man behind one of the world’s leading sporting events, Samuel Ryder was among St Albans’ most prominent citizens.

Born in 1858 in Lancashire, Samuel moved south to further his career in the horticultural industry. Samuel’s big commercial idea was to sell seeds in “penny packets” affordable by the working classes and made available by mail order catalogue.

Living in St Albans, he attended the Independent Chapel in Spicer Street, and he helped found Trinity Church, also donating a Manse building.

Samuel’s sense of civic duty led him to become a councillor and in a remarkably short time he became mayor. He worked at the Old Town Hall and also presided as magistrate in the court house.

But soon after his time as mayor, at the age of 50, Samuel embarked on an activity that led him to immortality on a global scale. In poor health and, following advice from his friend the Rev Frank Wheeler, he took up a sport that gave him fresh air and exercise – golf. At his family home of 17 years, Marlborough House – now part of Loretto School – Samuel often practised his golf swing in the garden.

His company sponsored golf tournaments, including a match between a United States team and one representing Britain and Ireland. Samuel believed this competition should be a regular occurrence, and so he donated a gold trophy. The Ryder Cup was born.

St Albans Tour Guides will trace the steps of Samuel’s life with a walk entitled A Round with Sam Ryder. You can walk the “course”, stopping at 18 sites that played a part in his life, including the Old Presbyterian Chapel in Dagnall Street and the huge Heath and Heather building near the station.

The highlight of the tour will be a visit to Verulam Golf Club where he was captain three times. On view will be a replica of the Ryder Cup.

The walk includes the Exhibition Hall, now Café Rouge, where the product of his seeds were on show, and finishes at the Comfort Hotel, site of Samuel’s elegant offices. Here a mahogany stair leads to the Samuel Ryder room where a photographic exhibition and his life story will be on view and free to all visitors.

On Saturday and Sunday there will a display by the City and District of St Albans Tour Guides exploring the life and legacy of Samuel Ryder in the Samuel Ryder Room. The Ryder Building is open Thursday to Sunday, 10am-9pm Details: www.stalbanstourguides.co.uk