This obituary appeared in the Baptist Union Handbook for 1890
RICKARD, WILLIAM THOMAS.—This devoted servant of the Master will be remembered by many as the founder of the Church at Child's Hill, London, N.W. He was born near Plymouth, 16th June, 1836, and was called to his rest 21st January, 1896. His early years were spent in connection with the Church of England, of which body his parents were members. In 1856 he removed to West Cornwall, where shortly afterwards he was converted in a Wesleyan Chapel. He became at once a teacher in the Sunday School, and was afterwards superintendent; he was also frequently engaged as a local preacher. He was appointed to the East Cornwall circuit in 1860, but in consequence of ill-health he resigned, and visited friends in London. Whilst with them he was asked to take Sunday services at Hunton Bridge. This led to an invitation to the pastorate, and there he toiled successfully for three years and a half. In 1865 he removed to Hampstead, to help in Mission work connected with Heath Street Church. Whilst so occupied he visited Child's Hill, although it was out of his district, and was greatly impressed with the then neglected condition of the village. He obtained permission occasionally to visit the neighbourhood, and ultimately devoted his whole time to the district. He received his support from the late Mr. James Harvey, of Hampstead. As the work prospered and grew very rapidly, in October, 1865, a room was taken for Sunday services, then a Mission Hall, and in 1870, five years from the commencement, the present building was erected, in which Mr. Rickard continued to minister until 1894. He was a man who felt very deeply his responsibility, and for many years it was his custom to seclude himself for an hour every day, in his vestry, to plead.with God specially, on behalf of the neighbourhood. He was a powerful evangelistic preacher, and hundreds were converted under his ministry. The following is an extract from The Christian: "His peculiar power lay in his pastoral work; while health permitted he was ever busy from house to house, cheering and comforting the sorrowing, whether belonging to his flock or not, and exhorting the careless to flee from the wrath to come. Thus he was a man greatly beloved by the people for his self-denying labours and untiring energy on their behalf. The last two or three years of his life were spent in much suffering, which, necessitated his retirement some eighteen months ago."
An organ was erected to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of his work at Child's Hill, and at the end of twenty-five years a testimonial and a cheque for 200 guineas were presented to him. This short notice cannot be better concluded than with a quotation from the tablet placed to his memory in the Chapel:—
"Brave, true, devout, diligent,
In labours unwearied.
He won all hearts
By opening to them his own." - J. M. (Presbyterian John Matheson 1819-1893?)
