having made the voyage just before Green's death, and a second being then near completion. Green devoted much care to the improvement of the mercantile marine. The establishment of the Sailors' Home was one of his earliest efforts. In connection with it he provided a course of instruction in navigation for officers and men. He was the principal supporter of schools at Poplar, at which two thousand children were taught and partly clothed. To the Merchant Seamen's Orphan Asylum, the Dreadnought Hospital, the Poplar Hospital, and many other charities he was a great benefactor. Green was affectionately regarded in East London. He warmly interested himself in the naval reserve, and was chairman of the committee and a chief mover in the employment of the Thames Marine Officers' Training Ship. His favourite saying was that 'he had no time to hesitate,' and he was noteworthy for his unfailing promptitude, quick decision, clear judgment, and great business acumen. He died near Regent's Park on 17 Jan. 1863, and his funeral at Trinity Chapel, Poplar (founded by his father), was attended by an immense concourse. Green left by his will a large number of charitable bequests, including a free gift of the building and a perpetual endowment of his Sailors' Home at Poplar.
[Gent. Mag. 1863, i. 262; Illustrated London News memoir; Great Industries of Great Britain.]
GREEN, SAMUEL (1740–1796), organ-builder, learnt his art under the elder Byfield, Bridge, and Jordan, and afterwards entered into several years' partnership with the younger Byfield. Green built a large number of organs for the cathedrals, and for churches in London and the country, instruments which were famed for their beauty of tone. Green died in something like poverty at Isleworth, Middlesex, 14 Sept. 1796, leaving his business to his widow.
[Grove's Dict. of Music, i. 624, where is a list of Green's organs.]
GREEN, THOMAS (d. 1705), captain of the Worcester, East Indiaman, on his homeward voyage in 1705, coming north-about to avoid the French cruisers, was forced by stress of weather to put into the Forth while the Scotch public was in a state of wild exasperation consequent on the still recent seizure of the Scotch East Indiaman Annandale in the Thames. The Worcester was arrested by way of reprisal, and was secured at Burnt-island. It then began to be rumoured that the Worcester was not the harmless trader she professed to be, but while in the East Indies had been engaged in piracy. The drunken talk of one of the seamen seemed to corroborate the notion, and a black cook's mate gave positive evidence of the capture of a ship and the murder of the crew. Other evidence was adduced in support of this; and though it was shown that the negro did not join the Worcester till long after the time referred to, and that the other witnesses were not on board, the public feeling ran so strong that Green and his officers were found guilty of piracy and murder, the charge specially naming Captain Robert Drummond and the crew of the Speedy Return as having been so robbed and murdered. There was not only no clear legal evidence of piracy and murder at all, but there was none whatever that Drummond had been murdered, or that he was even dead. But popular fury demanded a victim, and Green, the chief mate Madder, and the gunner Simpson, were accordingly hanged on 11 April 1705, the government being afraid of the riot which threatened to break out if the condemned culprits were pardoned. And yet before the execution had taken place the Raper galley had arrived from the East Indies, and on 30 March two of her seamen made affidavit before the mayor of Portsmouth that they had belonged to the Speedy Return, of which Robert Drummond was captain; that while they were lying in Port Maritan in Madagascar, Drummond and several of the crew being on shore, a large body of pirates came on board, seized the ship, and put to sea in her, took her to Rajapore, and there burnt her, and that they were never attacked by the Worcester or any other ship. There is no reason to doubt the truth of this story, delivered on oath; but it receives additional confirmation from the narrative of Robert Drury (fl. 1729) [q. v.], in which it is said that Drummond's ship was taken by pirates at Madagascar; that Drummond, with three or four hands, was permitted to go on shore near Fort Dauphin (Madagascar, or Robert Drury's Journal,p. 18), and that he was killed at Tullea, seven leagues to the northward of Augustine Bay, by 'one Lewes, a Jamaica negro' (ib. p. v). Writing more than twenty years afterwards, Captain Hamilton (New Account of the East Indies (2nd ed.), i. 320) expressed his opinion that whether Green was innocent of Drummond's murder or not, he deserved hanging for other crimes, and that substantial justice was done. It must, however, be remembered that Hamilton was a Scotchman writing in Scotland [see Hamilton, Alexander].
