Samuel Lee Rymer and the CNHSS

Ken Harman’s article above provides examples of Samuel Lee Rymer’s association with both the Croydon Literary & Scientific Institution and Dr Alfred Carpenter. The Society holds further evidence of this association: Rymer joined with 92 other subscribers, headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Mayor of Croydon, R.V. Barrow J.P., in the presentation of an address, dated October 5th, 1886, to Alfred Carpenter Esq., M.D., J.P. recording the placing of a bust of Dr Carpenter in the Public Hall, Croydon as a lasting memorial of his zeal and energy in furthering the interests of the Institution. The bust is now in the Postgraduate Building of Mayday University Hospital and the address is in the Society's museum, item LH1982/11.

In our Proceedings it is recorded that on “Wed 21st March, 1877 S.L. Rymer London Road…[was] nominated for election” and then on “Wed 18th April, 1877 Mr Samuel Lee Rymer…[was] balloted for and duly elected”. In published lists of members revised to 31 December 1877 and June 1881 the address he was using for Society purposes was George Street. This was changed to Wellesley Road in a list of about 1883 and in 1886 he was joined as a member by Jas. F. Rymer, also of Wellesley Road. However, by 1888 it was only Rymer, S. L. in the membership list. He remained a member until his death but, unsurprisingly in view of his other commitments, was apparently not very active: at the fortieth Annual Meeting of the Society, held on 18 January 1910 it was recorded that “Mr Alderman Rymer, also a member, died during the spring of last year”.

John Greig

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