George Green (1767-1849) began his career as an apprentice draughtsman at John Perry’s shipbuilding works at Blackwall Yard in the East End of London in 1782. He later married his employer’s daughter, Sarah Perry, and was taken into the business partnership. Over the following decades, George Green became one of the most successful shipbuilders of his time; the frigates and other merchant vessels built at Blackwall Yard were among the finest in their class.
Throughout his life, George Green was known for his benevolent disposition. A devout free churchman, he spent substantial amounts of his money and energy on philanthropic projects in Blackwall and Poplar, including a Sailors’ Home, the Trinity Independent Chapel, and George Green’s Schools. In 1842 he acquired land on (Upper) North Street, which was redeveloped in 1849 to create a row of almshouses to accommodate 21 poor local women. The almshouses were long administered by members of the Green family until being taken on and modernised by Springboard Housing Association in 1975.
Over time, the almshouses became no longer suitable – upgrading very small, old flats to meet improved fire regulations was not feasible – so the former almshouses were sold in 2008 and the proceeds used to build Sarah Perry House a short distance away. At the same time, the ownership and management responsibility was transferred from Springboard to a newly-constituted charity, George Green’s Almshouses.
Named after George Green’s first wife, Sarah Perry House – located in Flora Close, Poplar – was built in 2015 to provide eight spacious one-bedroom flats, with balconies and communal gardens, as almshouses for local women of limited financial means. In 2018, the remaining proceeds from the sale of the original almshouses, as permanent endowment, were applied to the acquisition of two flats in Spanby Road, Bow. A third flat in Spanby Road was bought around the same time and all three were renovated, with assistance of a grant from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.