J.Rymer Funeral Directors

When James Rymer decided to go into business in 1839, he started out as a joiner and J. Rymer was officially established as a business nine years later in 1848. To highlight the success of the family firm, after 50 years James Rymer was listed as a master joiner, employing three men. Business boomed in 1918, when the influenza epidemic proved to be a difficult time for the family. John T. Rymer found himself working day and night, despite contracting the flu himself. In the following years, the entrepreneurial Jack Rymer continued the family business. His father died when he was just 15, but he wished to continue the firm to support his mother and sister. Harold Dixon had offered to undertake the funerals for him until John was old enough to conduct them himself. In the meantime, Jack continued to make the coffins. Ten years after J. Rymer expanded via takeover and David Rymer joined the business. 12 years later they relocated to a large Georgian house, just outside the city walls. In the 1980s, David's three sons, Christopher, Richard and Stephen joined the family business. Fast forward to 1998, 150 years after the business was established, David Rymer released his book, 'A Reluctant Funeral Director'.