Three Rivers Museum Trust chairman Fabian Hiscock takes a look at medical care in the Rickmansworth area in the past.

What happens now when we’re injured, or suddenly ill, is well known. Even if ‘targets’ for emergency responses are a problem at the moment, we all know about the great work of A&E departments and the widespread provision of first aid at events and places of many sorts; and local medical provision open to all has been a given since the NHS was founded.

But what happened in the more distant past? There were certainly physicians, and many of them charged at most a nominal fee. Workhouses had provided medical care well before 1800, and most parishes paid for a doctor who also acted as ‘male midwife’. In the nineteenth century Dr Roderick Henderson of Rickmansworth was one of several GPs in the area, a number of them attending to the inmates of the Watford workhouse in Vicarage Road. So there was a level of care if you were ill, even if you were poor as well.

Watford Observer: Dr Henderson in 1891. Image: Watford ObserverDr Henderson in 1891. Image: Watford Observer

And there were hospitals and infirmaries, often run as charities and dating back to the middle ages, with the abbeys providing something in more remote areas. Both Watford and Rickmansworth had ‘pest houses’, where people with contagious diseases (especially smallpox) were isolated with a nurse trained and paid to care for them, no doubt following the best medical knowledge at the time.

Watford Observer: The Rickmansworth Pest House, seen in the 1960s. First built in Tudor times by the river Chess, it remained in use until the mid 19th century. Image: Three Rivers MuseumThe Rickmansworth Pest House, seen in the 1960s. First built in Tudor times by the river Chess, it remained in use until the mid 19th century. Image: Three Rivers Museum

But what happened if you had an accident, especially around here? We have the evidence of farmer John White for a few instances, backing up the Watford Observer’s keen reporting.

Aside from commonplace accidents (and they were common, although we sometimes scoff at ‘health and safety’ nowadays) some were due to ‘sporting’ activities.

In 1873 the traditional post-Christmas hunting was rather spoiled, as John White recorded: they had ‘good sport’, but with two bad falls during the day – White noted that ‘both were much hurt, but I hope not seriously’ (oh, good). The Chorleywood man John Gilliatt, who was Governor of the Bank of England at the time, had broken his collar bone; Mr White stayed with the other, who he knew well, and ‘accompanied him to Chorley Wood with Mr Carter along & got him some Brandy & Water at Mr Fitzgerralds. After which I left him to go home with Mr Carter, feeling somewhat better & hope no further harm will come of it, but it was a bad fall.’ No question of sending for an ambulance: brandy and water and crossed fingers were all that was available.

Watford Observer: The Old Berkeley Hunt, in which both John White and John Gilliatt were riding in 1873. Not much will have changed between then and the 1920s, when this photo was taken – it was a hazardous sport! Image: Three Rivers MuseumThe Old Berkeley Hunt, in which both John White and John Gilliatt were riding in 1873. Not much will have changed between then and the 1920s, when this photo was taken – it was a hazardous sport! Image: Three Rivers Museum

Some were indeed serious: some years earlier another friend of his had fallen down the stairs at home and broken his neck - he died a few days later, still at home. And in 1875 John White’s own brother James was killed when one of his workers fell from a hay rick being thatched and broke his boss’s neck - the newspaper report of the inquest describes comprehensively the care given by Dr Henderson, the GP, who attended but really could do nothing. And only a few years later there were road accidents as well - nasty ones.

Watford Observer: A road accident on Scots Hill in 1911. Image: Rickmansworth Historical Society/Geoff Saul collectionA road accident on Scots Hill in 1911. Image: Rickmansworth Historical Society/Geoff Saul collection

What would have happened today (even 50 years ago) will have been quite different. How things have changed.

Nonetheless, please, everyone at this new year season, do take care! Our history tells us that we’re better off than we were, but let’s not push our luck.

The wonderful diaries of John White are becoming a very important resource for Three Rivers Museum as we tell the story of what life was like round here.

In early 2024 the museum will join the University of Hertfordshire in a co-produced project ‘HARVEST’ involving students and staff led by Sue Davies and Derek Ong as well as volunteers from the Museum, exploring this amazing collection of historic papers to discover lessons on sustainability for the 21st century.

We’ll keep readers up to date as this remarkable project bridges the years from the 1870s to the present day.