Samuel Lee Rymer

Samuel Lee Rymer (5 May 1832-7 March 1909) was a dentist and local politician active in the Croydon area.

Born in Plymouth, Rymer lived in France and the West Country until he moved to London in 1848 to study dentistry. In 1852 he opened his own dental practice in Croydon. He was a leading advocate for the proper regulation of dentistry, leading to the formation of the College of Dentists of England in 1856.

Rymer took an interest in the local government of Croydon and was elected to the Local Board of Health in 1870, 11 years after his first attempt. When Croydon was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1883 he was elected a councillor for the Central Ward, becoming an alderman at the first meeting of the councill and retaining the office until his death. In 1893-94 he served as Mayor of Croydon.

He was also a justice of the peace for the borough, a governor of the Whitgift Foundation, founder of the dental department of Croydon General Hospital and of the a founder of the Croydon Guardian newspaper.

He died from pneumonia at his Croydon home, “Pevensey” and was buried at Queen's Road Cemetery.