The tombstone of our benefactor, George Green – at Trinity Green on East India Dock Road – has been carefully restored thanks to members of the Green family working with the Heritage of London Trust (HoLT). After years of neglect, the stonework and railings have been repaired and reinstated, and an interpretation panel has been installed to share the story of George Green: shipwright, shipowner and philanthropist.
On 3rd October 2024, a group assembled at the tombstone – including Green family members, children from Mayflower Primary School and George Green’s School, as well as representatives from HoLT, George Green’s Almshouses, the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights, and Tower Hamlets Council – to celebrate the restoration.
As Jonathan Green (George’s 3 x great grandson) commented: “With so many of George and Richard Green’s endowed structures, like schools and almshouses, still standing and relevant in the Poplar area today, the family felt that it was high time that the memory of these two Victorian philanthropists was honoured by the restoration of their rather isolated tomb. The ravages of over 160 years of wear and tear, aerial bombardment in both World Wars and ultimately vandalism in the twentieth century needed to be addressed.”
A quartet of youngsters from Mayflower Primary School read a poem about George Green, and students from George Green School reflected on their connections with local history and laid of a wreath of paper leaves. Plans are also afoot to reinstate the annual tradition of laying a wreath at the tombstone on Founder’s Day.
Dr Nicola Stacey, Director, Heritage of London Trust said: “We are thrilled to have helped restore this tomb to a major figure in the history of the east end, whose charitable work still benefits the community today. It has been wonderful to have had George Green’s descendants’ support and enthusiasm and to bring back the wreath-laying tradition.”
