The eldest son of Dr William Rayner, belonging to an old Stockport family, who was himself a member of the Town Council and Mayor of the Borough in 1883-1884. Edwin Rayner went to Stockport Grammar School, then to Owens College, Manchester, later to University College and Hospital, where he was House Surgeon and House Physician. Finally he studied in Paris, from which dated his permanent interest in French medicine and politics. He then settled in practice at Stockport, where the town was rising rapidly owing to the flourishing cotton trade. For nineteen years he was Medical Officer of Health and Public Analyst until 1892. For thirty-four years he was Surgeon to the Stockport Infirmary until 1908, when he was elected Consulting Surgeon. From 1880 he was a JP for Stockport. An original Governor of the Pendlebury Orphanage, he eventually became Chairman of the Governors. He also acted as Chairman of the Governors of his old school, Stockport Grammar School. His French interests led him to become a Juror in the Class of Medicine and Surgery at the International Exhibitions at Brussels in 1910 and at Turin in 1911. He practised at 19 Twist Dale, Stockport, latterly in partnership with George Pouncey Henderson, Surgeon to the Stockport Infirmary. In the course of the War (1914-1918) he helped to establish the Auxiliary Medical Hospital in Stockport, and served on the Surgical Staff. He became best known as Treasurer of the British Medical Association from 1907-1917. He had long been an active member of the Association, in 1894 President of the Lancashire and Cheshire Branch, and its representative in 1896-1898, 1903-1904, 1905-1906. In August, 1907, at the Exeter Meeting his election as Treasurer was moved by Sir Victor Horsley and seconded by Dr Alfred Cox, Secretary of the Association, as representing the then new constitution. He was opposed by C R Straton, of Wilton, representing the more conservative views, and Rayner was elected after a sharp contest. His term of office included a time of anxious responsibility concerning expenditure upon the rebuilding of the office in the Strand, and a serious expense incurred in the course of discussion and proposals for amendment of the National Insurance Bill. Rayner opposed the proposal to incur a permanent debt by the issue of debentures, and managed with the assistance of Mr Guy Elliston, Financial Secretary, to meet liabilities from income. As a Liberal he upheld a representative system of government in the revised constitution of the Association, whilst deprecating the delegation of powers by the Council to the Annual Meeting of Representatives. A man of quiet demeanour, he inspired confidence by cheerfulness and optimism. On one occasion he met an overdraft of the Association's funds by engaging his private resources in its support. His services to the Association was recognized by the Chairman of the Council, MacDonald, in presenting him with the Gold Medal of the Association in 1914. He left Stockport to live at Woking during the eighteen months before his death on January 18th, 1922. He was buried at Frensham, a memorial service being held simultaneously at Stockport Parish Church. He married in 1870 Miss Hartree, of London, who survived him with two sons and four daughters.