Roy Keith Black

Roy Black (30 October 1927 – 28 December 2009) was a British-born businessman, known for his work at Electronic Rentals Group, a UK public company during the 1960s in Dublin, Ireland specialising in television rentals. By 1970, ERG was the world's second largest Electronic Rental Company in the world with operations in 22 countries. From 1967 to 1973, ERG owned Gola and the Leisure Division was run by Alan Christopher Cowell MC along with companies like Camping Gaz Gola Sporting Goods.

Roy Black
Born
Roy Black

30 October 1927
London, England, UK
Died28 December 2009(2009-12-28) (aged 82)
San Diego, California, USA
MonumentsThe Black Family Law Library, California Western School of Law
Alma materKing William's College Trinity College, Dublin
EmployerElectronic Rental Group

Video Library

Blockbuster LLC

Major Minor Records
Board member ofBlockbuster LLC

Video Library

California Western School of Law

Mingei International Museum

Granada Limited
RelativesThe Right Honourable Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes, Privy Council of the United Kingdom

The Right Honourable Phillip Oppenheim

The Right Honourable Dame Jill Black

Phil Solomon (music executive) of Major Minor Records

Mervyn Solomon, founder of Emerald Music and Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Sir Adolph Weiner of Viners Cutlery
AwardsHonorary Juris Doctorate, California Western School of Law Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

He is the nephew of Sir Adolph Weiner of Viners Cutlery, who headed a prominent silversmith family in Sheffield and was knighted by the British monarchy. His wife, Maureen Black (née Peres) is the daughter of Harold Peres, legendary music producer and record distributor of Solomon and Peres, a UK and Northern Ireland based company which later was acquired by Decca Records. In 1986, The Independent Broadcasting Authority (IBA) invited private sector companies to apply for a new television franchise via satellite. In an attempt to win the bid and operate The Direct Broadcasting by Satellite System, Electronic Rentals Group was acquired by Granada Limited for an estimated £450M. The acquisition helped Granada Television to be awarded the fifteen-year franchise.[1][2]

In 1978, Black with his adult son Anthony Black and family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa to help establish broadcasting throughout Southern Africa. In 1978, Black's ERG subsidiary, Vision Hire, along with King Sobhuza II of Swaziland, founded the Swaziland Television Broadcasting Corporation (STBC). From 1978 to 1979, the Swaziland Government positioned television satellites toward South Africa to provide anti-Apartheid broadcasting to South Africa. Black was considered a silent player in the fight against Apartheid. In 1983, the government of the Kingdom of Swaziland nationalised Black's privately owned company. The company had a monopoly in all television gadgets or equipment, as a result, they government also acquired and operated Vision Hire. With the change of the television station from STBC to STVA, the name of Vision Hire was changed to the Swaziland Television Authority Rentals (STAR).

Later years

In 1982, Black moved to San Diego, California, US, where he owned and operated Video Library, which later became known as Blockbuster Inc. In retirement, he served as a member of the board of directors of the Mingei International Museum and was California Western School of Law's chairman of the board of Trustees from 1991 to 1994, and continued to serve as chairman Emeritus. In 1995, he was awarded an Honorary Juris Doctorate. Later that year, California Western School of Law opened the Black Family Law Library in his honour.

His wife, Maureen, is the cousin to Phil Solomon of Major Minor Records and The Right Honourable Mervyn Solomon, founder of Emerald Music. In 1970, Black and Solomon sold Major Minor Records to the EMI Group for a reported £10M. For many years, Black and the Solomon Brothers were among the largest shareholders of Decca Records.

In 1993, The London Times featured an article on Black, the Solomon brothers, and the Oppenheim family, discussing their influence and pioneering success in British politics and British Pop Culture for over 50 years. The Times described them as one of the most influential dynasties in Great Britain.[3]

Notes
  1. The Times, Friday, 5 March 1982; pg. 15; Joint UK satellite set up By Bill Johnstone Electronics Correspondent.
  2. Guardian, 12 December 1986 Page: 2 "pioneer Contract is awarded for satellite tv"
  3. The Times, 12 December 1993; pg. 32; "The Pioneers of British Pop Culture" By Julian Haviland

References
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.