Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Three Rivers Museum chairman Fabian Hiscock reflects how her reign helped shape the lives of people in the Rickmansworth area.

It seems not to be a coincidence that the Rickmansworth Society was founded in 1953, the year of her Coronation, and the Historical Society the following year.

After the Second World War the whole country was ready for something new: the Festival of Britain in 1951 was designed to showcase British design, arts and capability, and a large number of initiatives in ‘community life’ were being taken here: something was needed to coordinate all this activity as Her Majesty came to the throne in February 1952.

Watford Observer: Rickmansworth Victorian Evening in 1994Rickmansworth Victorian Evening in 1994 (Image: Three Rivers Museum)

In early 1953 a meeting of various local organisations, called by the Rotary Club and chaired by the chairman of Rickmansworth Urban District Council, agreed that a new society should be formed to do it. The Rickmansworth Society was formalised in May 1953, and by March 1954 there were 33 affiliated organisations. In that year the Rickmansworth Historical Society was formed, to foster interest in the history of the town and to present it to the public. Care for our heritage, and the study of social history, was of increasing significance.

A great deal has been said about Her Majesty’s role, along with that of Prince Philip, in fostering voluntary activity, and it seems that Rickmansworth responded as fully as anywhere. The society held the first ‘Rickmansworth Week’ in 1955, and some very significant local people were prominent – Kay Mendelssohn was chairman for more than 40 years from 1961, and Barbara Owen secretary for nearly 50 years from 1969.

Watford Observer: A leaflet for Ricky Week in 1993 when the Canal Festival was first held A leaflet for Ricky Week in 1993 when the Canal Festival was first held (Image: Three Rivers Museum)

Many organisations were founded, grew and prospered during the years of Her Majesty’s reign, contributing so much to the life of the Rickmansworth area: it is not fanciful to suggest that many were inspired by the examples of the Queen, Prince Philip, and later by the Prince of Wales.

Latterly, of course, technology and changing life styles have changed the way in which we undertake voluntary activity. The Rickmansworth Society had done its coordinating work just as the Covid pandemic shut down so much community life in 2020, and gently folded in April 2022: most others continue, and the Three Rivers Museum, founded in 1987 by members of the Historical Society and others, still tells the story of what it’s been like to live and work round here. But ‘volunteering’ has changed for so many organisations, and economic circumstances have recently greatly complicated the picture.

Watford Observer: Rickmansworth Society Market poster from the 1970sRickmansworth Society Market poster from the 1970s (Image: Three Rivers Museum)

As the reign closes during which ordinary people came to provide voluntarily so much essential service, the need for voluntary service, with people doing whatever they can for their neighbours, remains as strong as ever. We will record as best we can how that service is provided here: let it be part of Queen Elizabeth’s legacy that there is plenty for us to record.