George Green tomb

George Green (1767 - 1849) was a shipbuilder and philanthropist. Born the son of a brewer he became an apprentice in John Perry's Blackwall shipbuilding yard at the age of 15, one of the biggest private shipyards in the world. The fortunes of the yard fluctuated during the early 19th century. Green built Trinity Independent Chapel and a sailors’ home with 200 beds of model accommodation for crews (including Lascar crews) in between their voyages, protecting them from the danger of the Crimping System - kidnapping people to serve as sailors. He also built schools and almshouses in Poplar. When he died aged 82, the shops in Blackwall and Poplar were closed as a mark of respect and the population lined the route from his house to Trinity Chapel. Every vessel in the East and West India Docks flew its flag at half mast.

The tomb lies in Trinity Gardens in Poplar and was in poor condition. It had broken and rusting railing bars, badly replaced finials, and the marble inscription on the west face had fallen from position and was illegible.

The restoration project included paint analysis, new corner finials, replicating the originals from archive photos, replacing the broken or bent bars, repairing all ironwork and repainting, replacing the damaged west panel with a piece of Portland stone inscribed with the original text (subject to finding archive record of the text). All stonework has been repaired and repointed. The concrete cracked paving slabs around the tomb have been replaced with York stone. The project to restore the tomb was led by George Green’s descendants with the support of Heritage of London Trust, George Green’s almshouses charity, The Worshipful Company of Shipwrights and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

Until recent years George Green’s school pupils would lay a wreath at the tomb on Green’s birthday. Since the restoration, this yearly tradition has been revived.