Richard Hill

Writer and Journalist

Richard Hill was born in 1955 in Bangor, Wales, United Kingdom. He grew up on his parents farm in Montgomeryshire. He attended Llanidloes High School, leaving at the age of 15 to serve an appreticeship in the trade of electrician.
He worked for many years for the Department of the Environment at a number of military establishments in Wales. In the late 1970's he became a founder member and station manager of a hospital radio station in Haverfordwest.
In 1980, Richard moved to London to work at St. Thomas' Hospital, one of the UK's premier teaching hospitals. He worked in a team of medical technicians at a specialist respiratory unit. He and his colleagues were responsible for the installation, maintenance and emergency repair of specialist respiratory equipment for people with severe respiratory disability such as polio (See: Each Saving Breath). It was here he came to work with, and develop an interest in the history of, the iron lung. (See: A being breathing thoughtful breath).
In 1990, Richard suffered a heart attack. In 1993 his heart condition had deteriorated resulting in a quadruple heart bypass operation.
In the early 1990's he also worked as an events co-ordinator for the Royal National Institute for the Blind, and later as Publicity and Fundraising Officer for Thames Valley Positive Support.
In 1995, Richard suffered a third heart attack and realised that he would have to consider early retirement from the National Health Service. Despite a reluctance to retire he decided to try and develop a second career as a writer and journalist. The kick-start of this new career came when shortly before his retirement he was awarded joint first prize in the annual Lord Brock Memorial Historical Essay Competition sponsored by the special trustees of Guy's Hospital in London. His essay entitled 'A being breathing thoughtful breath' traces the history and development of the iron lung from 1832 to the present day.

Left: Richard at work with the editor of Mad about Dogs magazine, TV presenter Peter Purves.

Right: Richard at the Slough Arm of the Grand Union Canal in Langley. Photo: Claire Gubba

Since the beginning of 1996, Richard has had some success with his work. He now writes regularly about canals and inland waterways for Canal & Riverboat magazine, and Peter Purves' Mad About Dogs magazine. He has been commissioned to a range of titles including The Art of Bonsai, Badminton magazine, Bee World, Veterinary Practice and Skin Deep. To view examples of some of these features click here.

Richard now lives in Langley, Berkshire

In September 1997, Richard took up the role of facilitator for D.A.W.N.(Developing Amateur Writers Network), a new writers workshop, and as a lecturer on 'Writing for pleasure and publication', both courses being facilitated by East Berkshire College in Langley (Slough).

Richard now has a weekly column in ES Magazine, The friday magazine of the London Evening Standard. In the METROPOLIS section, Richard reviews some of the more unusual websites to be found on the internet in his weekly WEEKEND SURFING column.

In January 1998, Richard commences a weekly internet feature in the Slough, Langley and Windsor Express Newspapers, and will write and present a weekly internet phone-in on BBC Thames Valley FM.

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