The earliest known Greens, so far, are William Green and his wife Elizabeth. They had four children (three girls and one boy) all baptised in Hartpury, Gloucestershire. Their second child, the only boy, was named William. He was baptised on 1 June 1741.
William Green (1741) married Anne Wright on 3 November 1764 in Hartpury. William and Anne had five children (four girls and one boy). Again the boy was called William, and was baptised on 28 June 1772 in Hartpury.
On 11th March 1793, William Green (1772) joined the 11th Regiment of Light Dragoons in the British Army. He spent the next 21 years with the regiment, some of which was spent fighting Napoleons army in Holland, Portugal and Spain. In late 1798 and early 1799 he was stationed at Sherborne, Dorset, where he met Charlotte Walters. They got married in the neighbouring village of Castleton on 19 February 1799. In 1814, having retired from the army, William Green (1772) returned to Sherborne, where he lived until his death (after 1851).
William Miles Green was born circa 1800. According to Census records he says that he was born in Castleton but no baptism record has been found yet. On 30th April 1820, William who was now a shoemaker, married Hannah Vincent, the daughter of William and Sarah Vincent, in Castleton. William and Hannah had six children (two girls and four boys). The eldest three were all baptised at the Union Chapel in Sherborne. The family then moved to London. Their next son Vincent John Green, was born on 11th July 1829 in the district of Clerkenwell, probably in Long Lane, since this was where the family was living on 4th August 1829 when he was baptised at St Andrew Church, Holborn . On the 16th September 1851, William Miles Green died at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, aged 51. It is not yet known when Hannah died.
The information known about his Children is as follows:
- In 1851 George was still living with the family. He was unmarried and worked as an assistant grocer. No further information is known about George.
- William married and moved with his family to Ramsgate. He was builder and it is believed that he was involved in the building of the promenade. In 1890 he served as Mayor of Ramsgate. His youngest son, Herbert Horace Green, served as mayor of Ramsgate in 1900 and 1901.
- In 1851 Sarah was working as a book-folder. No further information is known about Sarah.
- Alfred became an engine fitter and engineer. He lived in Shoreditch with his wife and children. Lodging with him on the nights of the 1871 and 1881 census was Francis Eastment who was a shoemaker and had been lodging with William Miles Green in 1851.
On the 19th November 1855 Vincent John Green married his cousin Annie Vincent at St Barnabus Church in St Lukes. Annie was living in St Lukes, but was born in Pimlico 2nd September 1834. Vincent was a bookbinder, and was living at 20 Woodbridge Street, Clerkenwell. On the 12th August 1856 their first son, Vincent John Green was born at 12 Northampton Street, Clerkenwell. Their daughters: Lavina, born 7th July 1860; Florence, born 18th January 1862; and Kate, born 7th January 1864, all in Islington, were baptised at St Andrew, Holborn on the 15th December 1868. Their next two children were: George, born circa 1866 in St Lukes; and Ida, born circa 1868, also in St Lukes. Their youngest son Ernest Harold Green was born on 17th January 1871 and was baptised at St Andrew, Holborn on the 28th February 1871. At this time the family was living at 40a Liquorpond Street. On 5th August 1872, when Vincent John Green (1856) became an apprentice jeweller, the family was living at Palmerston Buildings, St Lukes. On 29th August 1877, when Vincent John Green (1856) left London and joined the Royal Fusiliers, the family was living at 21 Gloucester Street, Clerkenwell. Two years later, on the 9th November 1879, his father Vincent John Green (1829) died at the Great Northern Hospital. Prior to his death, he had been living at 9 Pullteney Terrace.
After serving for 12-years in the army Vincent John Green (1856) returned to London. On the night of the 1891 Census he was residing at the Whitechapel Union Workhouse, South Grove, Mile End Road, where he worked as a cook. It was at this workhouse where he met his wife Eliza Long, daughter of John and Mary Long. Eliza was born in Upottery in Devon, but had worked in various workhouses, before moving to London shortly after 1891 to work at the Whitechapel Union Workhouse. On 2nd July 1896 they got married at the Register Office, Mile End Old Town. He was living at 7 South Grove, adjacent to the workhouse, and she was living at 40 Maplin Street – the next street along. On 17th August 1898 they had twins - a boy and a girl. The girl was called Nellie Green and the boy was called Vincent John Green; however, he died at 8-months. Their next child was Kate, born 16th August 1899. At the time of the 1901 Census, the family was living on the first floor of 16 Albion Street, parallel to South Grove - Vincent was shown as a Laundryman. On 28th July 1902 Vincent John Green (1856) died, aged 45, and is buried at Bow Cemetery, South Grove. Being pregnant, Eliza moved back with the children to Upottery, to be with her family.
On 27th September 1902, at the Post Office, Upottery their fourth child, Vincent Green, was born.
