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{{Short description|English journalist and writer (1937–2024)}}
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{{Sources|date=February 2024}}
{{original research|date=January 2017}}
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[[File:001285_Rhind_Neil.jpg|thumb|Neil Rhind]]
'''Neil Biron Rhind''' {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} (9 January 1937 – 10 February 2024) was an English journalist, writer and an authority on the social and historical development of [[Blackheath, London|Blackheath]] and surrounding areas of south-east [[London]].

==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, had two children, and lived in The Lane in Blackheath's Cator Estate.<ref name= "Lane" >{{cite web|title=Lane Handbook|url=http://www.weymede.co.uk/downloads/Lane%20Handbook%20.pdf|website=Weymede.co.uk|access-date=18 January 2017}}</ref>

==Journalism career==
{{unsourced section|date=February 2024}}
From 1957 to 1959, Rhind served in [[Royal Air Force|RAF]] [[air traffic control]], mainly at [[Uxbridge]].{{citation needed|date=January 2017}} He worked briefly as a librarian before joining the Odham Newnes Press where he worked as the ''Packaging Review Yearbook'' editor.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}} From 1963 he was assistant editor and then managing editor of the ''[[The Good Food Guide|Good Food Guide]]''.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

In 1967 he became a freelance writer working as a press officer for the [[The Consumers' Association|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.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

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]].{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

==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,''<ref name= "Ripper" >{{cite web|last1=Heard|first1=Stawell|title=Mr Valentine's School|url=http://www.casebook.org/dissertations/dst-valentine.html|website=Casebook: Jack the Ripper|access-date=17 January 2017}}</ref><ref name= "McDonald" >{{cite book|last1=Deborah|first1=McDonald|title=The Prince, His Tutor and the Ripper: The Evidence Linking James Kenneth Stephen to the Whitechapel Murders|date=2007|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786430185|page=218}}</ref> later becoming a vice-president.<ref name= "AboutGHSoc" >{{cite web|title=About us|url=http://www.ghsoc.co.uk/us.php|website=Greenwich Historical Society|access-date=17 January 2017}}</ref>

Rhind joined the Blackheath Society committee in 1974, succeeded Ken Bound as chairman in September 1993, resigning in May 1998. He collated an archive collection of over 15,000 images of Blackheath which were being digitised and made available online.<ref name= "Archive" >{{cite web|title=Blackheath Archive|url=http://www.blackheatharchive.org/|website=Blackheath Society|access-date=19 January 2017}}</ref> In 2016 he was appointed president of the Society.

Rhind was 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 was an honorary life member of the Westcombe Society and a past chairman of the London Borough of Lewisham Conservation Advisory Committee.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

Rhind was a leading contributor to the Blackheath Conservation Area Appraisal<ref>[https://www.lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/planning/conservation/Documents/BlackheathCAAppraisal.pdf Blackheath Conservation Area Appraisal]</ref> 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,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blackheatharchive.org/p64572155|title=59. Blackheath Art Club, 47 Bennett Park|access-date=17 January 2017}}</ref> [[Blackheath railway station]]/Chapman House, Brigade House, Brooklands House, The Cedars, Eagle House<ref>{{cite web|url=https://runner500.wordpress.com/tag/eagle-house/|title=Eagle House - Running Past|date=23 March 2016 |access-date=17 January 2017}}</ref> in Lewisham, Martin House, Park Hall, Poplar Cottage,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/info/200064/local_history_and_heritage/146/charlton|title=Charlton|first=Frankie|last=Eldridge|access-date=17 January 2017}}</ref> [[Vanbrugh Castle]], the Westcombe Woodlands,<ref name= "Woodlands" >{{cite web|title=The Westcombe Woodlands – a Brief History|url=http://www.westcombewoodlands.org/history/|website=Westcombe Woodlands|access-date=18 January 2017}}</ref> 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.{{citation needed|date=January 2017}}

===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 [[Equestrian at the 2012 Summer Olympics|Olympic equestrian]] events.<ref name= "Greenwichcouk" >{{cite news|last1=Powell|first1=Rob|title=19th century law will 'scupper LOCOG's plans', says NOGOE|url=http://www.greenwich.co.uk/news/02577-19th-century-law-will-scupper-locogs-plans-says-nogoe/|access-date=19 January 2017|work=Greenwich.co.uk|date=14 January 2010}}</ref><ref name= "NOGOE" >{{cite news|last1=Gibson|first1=Owen|title=London Olympics row over Greenwich Park role reaches climax|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/mar/23/london-2012-olympics-greenwich-park|access-date=17 January 2017|work=The Guardian|date=23 March 2010}}</ref> Campaigners claimed that it would be unlawful for the [[London Borough of Greenwich]] to give planning permission for [[2012 Summer Olympics|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.<ref name= "InsideTheGames" >{{cite news|last1=Downes|first1=Steven|title=London 2012 will break Victorian law if they use Greenwich Park claim critics|url=http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/8789/london-2012-will-break-victorian-law-if-they-use-greenwich-park-claim-critics|access-date=19 January 2017|work=Inside the Games|date=16 January 2010}}</ref><ref name= "Horsetalk" >{{cite news|title=Campaigners up ante over London Olympic equestrian plans|url=http://horsetalk.co.nz/news/2010/01/071.shtml#axzz4WCIwZher|access-date=19 January 2017|work=HorseTalk.co.nz|date=10 January 2010}}</ref> A NOGOE petition gathered over 12,000 signatures,<ref>{{cite web |last=Beard |first=Mathew |title=Dennis is a menace to 2012 equestrian plans |work=This is London |date=7 October 2009 |access-date=1 August 2010 |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/dennis-is-a-menace-to-2012-equestrian-plans-6732050.html }}</ref> but the argument was rejected by Greenwich.

===Writing===
Rhind wrote several books, starting in 1968 with ''The Consumer Wakes Up'',<ref>{{Cite book|title=The consumer wakes up|last=Rhind|first=Neil|year=1968|publisher=Pergamon|isbn=0080142087|oclc=877274885}}</ref> and ''Make Me Understand Pregnancy and Childbirth''<ref>{{Cite book|title=Make me understand pregnancy and childbirth|last=Rhind|first=Neil|year=1969|publisher=Dickens P|isbn=0850902142}}</ref> and ''The Greenwich Theatre Book'' in 1969.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Greenwich Theatre Book (with Hilary Evans)|last=Rhind|first=Neil|publisher=Greenwich Theatre|year=1969|isbn=9780950122007}}</ref> His output then mainly focused on subjects related to Blackheath, including two volumes on ''Blackheath Village and Environs''.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Blackheath Village & Environs, 1790-1990, Vol 1 – The Village and Blackheath Vale'|last=Rhind|first=Neil|year=1976|isbn=0950513601}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Blackheath Village and Environs, Vol 2 – Wricklemarsh & the Cator Estate, Westcombe, Kidbrooke and the Angerstein Encroachment|last=Rhind|first=Neil|publisher=Bookshop Blackheath|year=1983|isbn=0950513636}}</ref> Drawing on his research and writing, Rhind led numerous walks in the Blackheath area describing buildings of architectural or historical interest, and gave many talks on local history.

==Honours==
Rhind was awarded an MBE in the [[1999 New Year Honours]] for services to the preservation of the historical character of Blackheath.<ref name= "BBC NYHonours98" >{{cite news|title=Order of the British Empire - MBE Q - Z|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/special_report/1998/12/98/new_year_honours/244871.stm|access-date=17 January 2017|work=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=31 December 1998}}</ref> He was elected a Fellow of the [[Society of Antiquaries of London]] in June 2005<ref name= "Rhind FSA" >{{cite web|title=Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries (FSA)|url=https://www.sal.org.uk/about-us/fellows-directory/R/page/3/|website=Society of Antiquaries of London|access-date=17 January 2017}}</ref><ref name= "SALAnnRep" >{{cite web|title=Society of Antiquaries of London, Annual Report 2005|url=https://www.sal.org.uk/media/274589/2005_AnnualReport.pdf|website=Society of Antiquaries of London|access-date=17 January 2017}}</ref> and, in January 2011, appointed an Honorary Fellow of the University of London, [[Goldsmiths, University of London|Goldsmiths College]] for his work in the conservation and historic research of south-east London.<ref name= "Goldlink" >{{cite journal|title=Welcoming our New Honorary Fellows|journal=Goldlink|date=May 2011|issue=35|page=4|url=https://issuu.com/goldsmiths-alumni/docs/goldlink35}}</ref> On 17 May 2017, he was awarded the Freedom of the Royal Borough of Greenwich.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Greenwich |first=Royal Borough of |title=Freedom of the Borough |url=https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/info/200164/about_the_royal_borough/320/freedom_of_the_borough |access-date=2024-07-07 |website=www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref>

==Death==
Rhind died on 10 February 2024, aged 87.<ref>{{cite news |title=Neil Biron Rhind MBE FSA |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/births-marriages-and-deaths-february-15-2024-2cszr8v86 |access-date=15 February 2024 |work=The Times |date=15 February 2024}}</ref>

==References==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Rhind, Neil}}
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:2024 deaths]]
[[Category:English historians]]
[[Category:English journalists]]
[[Category:Fellows of the Society of Antiquaries of London]]
[[Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:People associated with Goldsmiths, University of London]]
[[Category:People educated at St Marylebone Grammar School]]
[[Category:People from Blackheath, London]]