Samuel Ryder

At the age of 50 he became an enthusiastic golfer and then from 1923 to 1925 he, together with his brother James, started sponsoring a number of golf tournaments and matches mostly at his home club of Verulam near St Albans.

Ryder first worked at a shipping firm in Manchester, and then for his father, whose business has expanded to include a Nursery, florist, and seed merchant.

Friction with his father led Ryder to move south to London to join a rival seed merchant.

He established a separate herb business, Heath and Heather, with his brother James in 1922 and in 1924, the company moved to a former hat factory, which had a floor area of some 24,000 square feet (2,200 m2).

Despite this, there was a significant divide between the Anglicans (Church of England) and the Non-Conformists, which was accentuated in St Albans, such that adherents of each denomination would not trade with the other.

After he had experienced a period of ill health in 1908, his friend Frank Wheeler, the preacher at Trinity Congregational Church, suggested that he take up golf as a way to get more fresh air.

He became an enthusiastic amateur, quickly securing a single-figure handicap and joining Verulam Golf Club, where he served on the greens committee for 20 years.

Ernest answered "no" as he could not afford it, and went on to say, "The Americans come over here smartly dressed and backed by wealthy supporters; the Britisher has a poor chance compared to that".

[2] Ryder considered that something vital was required to rouse clubs to take a real interest and responsibility in encouraging young professionals of talent like the Whitcombe brothers.

James was, like Samuel, a keen golfer and on 10 July 1923 the brothers sponsored a tournament under the "Heath and Heather" name at their home club of Verulam.

A match was arranged to decide the winner of the medal and "Heath and Heather" agreed to finance the event which took place at Verulam on 24 October.

[17] However, it was immediately announced that Abe Mitchell would, from Christmas 1925, be taking up a "private appointment" with Samuel Ryder with a salary of £500 and £250 for expenses.

Ryder attended the first two home matches played at Moortown and Southport in 1929 and 1933 respectively,[21] being especially pleased to present the cup to Britain's successful captain George Duncan in 1929.

The most important were: Ryder suffered from poor health in later life, and spent some time in South Africa and with his elder daughter Marjorie in Rhodesia, where she had emigrated.

He died on 2 January 1936[27] at the Langham Hotel in Portland Place, London, the family's traditional Christmas holiday residence.