Neil Rhind

Neil Biron Rhind MBE (born 9 January 1937) is an English journalist, writer and an authority on the social and historical development of Blackheath and surrounding areas of south east London.

Neil Rhind

Rhind was awarded an MBE in the 1998 New Year Honours for services to the preservation of the historical character of Blackheath.[1] He was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in June 2005[2][3] and, in January 2011, appointed an Honorary Fellow of the University of London, Goldsmith's College for his work in the conservation and historic research of south east London.[4]

Early life

Rhind was born and has lived most of his life in Blackheath, London. He is the youngest of four siblings born to Doris Pamela and William Alexander, a naval officer. During World War II, Rhind was evacuated and separated from his siblings for a time. He returned to Blackheath in 1951. Rhind was educated at St Marylebone Grammar School. He married Elizabeth on 3 September 1960, has two children, and lives in The Lane in Blackheath's Cator Estate.[5]

Journalism career

From 1957 to 1959, Rhind served in RAF air traffic control, mainly at Uxbridge. He worked briefly as a librarian before joining the Odham Newnes Press where he worked as the Packaging Review Yearbook editor. From 1963 he was assistant editor and then managing editor of the Good Food Guide.

In 1967 he became a freelance writer working as a press officer for the Consumers' Association and press officer of the Greenwich Theatre, during and following its rebuilding and reopening. In 1969 he became press officer of the Blackheath Society.

From 1969, prompted by fierce local opposition to the Greater London Development Plan (London Ringways) and its adverse effect on Blackheath, Rhind became involved in documenting and protecting the social and architectural history of his home district, Blackheath and Greenwich.

Work on Blackheath

In 1971 Rhind joined the Greenwich and Lewisham Antiquarian Society (renamed the Greenwich Historical Society in 1991) and was elected to its council in 1973. He succeeded Sir Leslie Monson as president in 1982, in turn being succeeded by Sir Robert Somerville in 1984. He gave two presidential addresses - The Cator Estate and Blackheath: Some Sporting Myths, and Thoughts on Jack the Ripper, the Blackheath Connection[6][7] - and remains a vice-president.[8]

Rhind joined the Blackheath Society committee in 1974, succeeded Ken Bound as chairman in September 1993, resigning in May 1998. Since then he has collated an archive collection of over 15,000 images of Blackheath which are being digitised and made available online.[9] In 2016 he was appointed president of the Society.

He is a long-standing member of the Lewisham Local History Council (an advisory group set up by Lewisham Council), and a member of the Greenwich Industrial History Society and Lewisham Local History Society. He was chairman of the Blackheath Schools of Art and Music Trust and founder of the Friends of Ranger's House. He is an honorary life member of the Westcombe Society and a past chairman of the London Borough of Lewisham Conservation Advisory Committee.

He was a leading contributor to the Blackheath Conservation Area Appraisal[10] submitted to Lewisham Council in 2007.

Blackheath Preservation Trust

Rhind was director and secretary of the Blackheath Preservation Trust from October 1972 to May 2001. The Trust was set up in 1938 to combat the demolition and destruction of buildings of architectural and historic merit. As secretary, Rhind was involved in work relating to the Blackheath Art Club,[11] Blackheath railway station/Chapman House, Brigade House, Brooklands House, The Cedars, Eagle House[12] in Lewisham, Martin House, Park Hall, Poplar Cottage,[13] Vanbrugh Castle, the Westcombe Woodlands,[14] and Blackheath Halls (in 1977, the BPT bought the property, then threatened with demolition by developers; the BPT retained the freehold until it was acquired by Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance). His interest in the preservation trust movement led to a time as an advisor to the Vivat Trust.

2012 Olympics

Rhind was a supporter of NOGOE (No to Greenwich Olympic Equestrian Events) which organised ultimately unsuccessful opposition to the use of an area of Blackheath just outside the Greenwich Park gates, known as Circus Field, for Olympic equestrian events.[15][16] Campaigners claimed that it would be unlawful for the London Borough of Greenwich to give planning permission for London 2012 to use the land because the enclosure of any part of the Heath, including Circus Field, would be contrary to the Metropolitan Commons Act 1866, which established the concept of metropolitan commons being available at all times for the benefit of members of the public.[17][18] A NOGOE petition had gathered over 12,000 signatures,[19] but the argument was rejected by Greenwich.

Writing

Rhind has written several books, starting in 1968 with The Consumer Wakes Up,[20] and Make Me Understand Pregnancy and Childbirth[21] and The Greenwich Theatre Book in 1969.[22] Since then his output has mainly focused on subjects related to Blackheath, including two volumes on Blackheath Village and Environs.[23][24] Drawing on his research and writing, Rhind has led numerous walks in the Blackheath area describing buildings of architectural or historical interest, and given many talks on local history.

References
  1. "Order of the British Empire - MBE Q - Z". BBC News. BBC. 31 December 1998. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  2. "Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries (FSA)". Society of Antiquaries of London. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  3. "Society of Antiquaries of London, Annual Report 2005" (PDF). Society of Antiquaries of London. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  4. "Lane Handbook" (PDF). Weymede.co.uk. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  5. Heard, Stawell. "Mr Valentine's School". Casebook: Jack the Ripper. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  6. Deborah, McDonald (2007). The Prince, His Tutor and the Ripper: The Evidence Linking James Kenneth Stephen to the Whitechapel Murders. McFarland. p. 218. ISBN 9780786430185.
  7. "About us". Greenwich Historical Society. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  8. "Blackheath Archive". Blackheath Society. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  9. Blackheath Conservation Area Appraisal
  10. "59. Blackheath Art Club, 47 Bennett Park". Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  11. "Eagle House - Running Past". Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  12. Eldridge, Frankie. "Charlton". Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  13. "The Westcombe Woodlands – a Brief History". Westcombe Woodlands. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
  14. Powell, Rob (14 January 2010). "19th century law will 'scupper LOCOG's plans', says NOGOE". Greenwich.co.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  15. Gibson, Owen (23 March 2010). "London Olympics row over Greenwich Park role reaches climax". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  16. Downes, Steven (16 January 2010). "London 2012 will break Victorian law if they use Greenwich Park claim critics". Inside the Games. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  17. "Campaigners up ante over London Olympic equestrian plans". HorseTalk.co.nz. 10 January 2010. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  18. Beard, Mathew (7 October 2009). "Dennis is a menace to 2012 equestrian plans". This is London. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
  19. Rhind, Neil (1968). The consumer wakes up. Pergamon. ISBN 0080142087. OCLC 877274885.
  20. Rhind, Neil (1969). Make me understand pregnancy and childbirth. Dickens P. ISBN 0850902142.
  21. Rhind, Neil (1969). The Greenwich Theatre Book (with Hilary Evans). Greenwich Theatre. ISBN 9780950122007.
  22. Rhind, Neil (1976). Blackheath Village & Environs, 1790-1990, Vol 1 – The Village and Blackheath Vale'. ISBN 0950513601.
  23. Rhind, Neil (1983). Blackheath Village and Environs, Vol 2 – Wricklemarsh & the Cator Estate, Westcombe, Kidbrooke and the Angerstein Encroachment. Bookshop Blackheath. ISBN 0950513636.
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