Home»The Blackheath Archive»Films»Neil Rhind, MBE.

Neil was a remarkable man who began working life as a librarian, and then turned his hand to journalism. Following in the footsteps of AR Martin, one of the earliest founders of the Blackheath Society which was started in the same year as Neil's birth, Neil became a historian of the local area almost by accident and for the next 60 years conducted meticulous research into the histories of the architects, builders and residents of the local buildings which he loved so much. Also following in the footsteps of AR Martin he was an avid collector of Blackheath-related photographs, magazines and memorabilia. He was the author of 3 definitive volumes of "Blackheath Village and its Environs" and author of a large number of walks and talks and magazine articles.He was an active campaigner in the preservation of many fine buildings which, without his direct involvement, may well have been demolished or destroyed. His life's work was the source and inspiration of the Blackheath Society archive (www.blackheatharchive.org) which contains more than 50,000 images of Blackheath related ephemera. Witty and urbane, with appropriately D.W.Griffith's silent film "Intolerance' being one of his favourites (and which he intended to show to celebrate his 87th birthday), Neil will be sorely missed. He died on Saturday, 10th February, 2024 In 2013, he was interviewed by Julian Watson of the Greenwich Historical Society in a 'Desert Island Discs" type format public meeting, which I filmed. The interview lasted an hour and 15 minutes. I have divided his interview into 6 short episodes, in each of which Neil talks in his usual engaging way of significant aspects of his life.