Benjamin Greene
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Greene was the founder of Greene King, one of the United Kingdom
's largest brewing
businesses.
and apprenticed at Whitbread
, Benjamin Greene initially founded a brewing business in 1801 with John Clark in Bury St Edmunds. Then in 1806 he dissolved that partnership and established a new venture with William Buck at the Westgate Brewery. It was this venture that became Greene King.
On the death of Sir Patrick Blake, 2nd Baronet he became the executor
and, on the subsequent death of Sir Patrick's widow, the owner of some estates in the West Indies.
He was a supporter of the arts and in 1819 lent £5,000 to William Wilkins
to build the Theatre Royal
in Bury St Edmunds.
He acquired the Bury and Suffolk Herald in 1828 and as proprietor took an ultra-conservative position opposing both the Reform Bill
and the Slavery Abolition Bill. This position attracted much criticism and three libel actions. He left Bury St Edmunds in 1836 and formed a sugar
importing and ship owning business in London
.
He died at Russell Square in London in 1860 and is buried at Highgate Cemetery
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's largest brewing
Brewing
Brewing is the production of beer through steeping a starch source in water and then fermenting with yeast. Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BCE, and archeological evidence suggests that this technique was used in ancient Egypt...
businesses.
Career
Born in OundleOundle
Oundle is an ancient market town on the River Nene in Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 5,345 or 5,674 . It lies some north of London and south-west of Peterborough...
and apprenticed at Whitbread
Whitbread
Whitbread PLC is a global hotel, coffee shop and restaurant company headquartered in Dunstable, United Kingdom. Its largest division is Premier Inn, which is the largest hotel brand in the UK with around 580 hotels and over 40,000 rooms. Its Costa Coffee chain has around 1,600 stores across 25...
, Benjamin Greene initially founded a brewing business in 1801 with John Clark in Bury St Edmunds. Then in 1806 he dissolved that partnership and established a new venture with William Buck at the Westgate Brewery. It was this venture that became Greene King.
On the death of Sir Patrick Blake, 2nd Baronet he became the executor
Executor
An executor, in the broadest sense, is one who carries something out .-Overview:...
and, on the subsequent death of Sir Patrick's widow, the owner of some estates in the West Indies.
He was a supporter of the arts and in 1819 lent £5,000 to William Wilkins
William Wilkins (architect)
William Wilkins RA was an English architect, classical scholar and archaeologist. He designed the National Gallery and University College in London, and buildings for several Cambridge colleges.-Life:...
to build the Theatre Royal
Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds
The Theatre Royal is a restored Regency theatre in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England. One of eight grade 1 listed theatres in the UK, it is the only working theatre on the National Trust's portfolio of properties....
in Bury St Edmunds.
He acquired the Bury and Suffolk Herald in 1828 and as proprietor took an ultra-conservative position opposing both the Reform Bill
Reform Act 1832
The Representation of the People Act 1832 was an Act of Parliament that introduced wide-ranging changes to the electoral system of England and Wales...
and the Slavery Abolition Bill. This position attracted much criticism and three libel actions. He left Bury St Edmunds in 1836 and formed a sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
importing and ship owning business in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
He died at Russell Square in London in 1860 and is buried at Highgate Cemetery
Highgate Cemetery
Highgate Cemetery is a cemetery located in north London, England. It is designated Grade I on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England. It is divided into two parts, named the East and West cemetery....
.
Family
He was married twice: first in 1803 to Mary Maling and then in 1805 to Catherine Smith with whom he went on to have seven sons and six daughters including:- Benjamin Buck (1808 - ?) (Governor of the Bank of England)
- Mary (1812–1870)
- Edward (1815–1891) (Took charge of running the brewery)
- William (1824 - ?)
- Charles Henry (1865–1942)
- Graham GreeneGraham GreeneHenry Graham Greene, OM, CH was an English author, playwright and literary critic. His works explore the ambivalent moral and political issues of the modern world...
- Sir Hugh GreeneHugh GreeneSir Hugh Carleton Greene KCMG, OBE was a British journalist and television executive. He was the Director-General of the BBC from 1960―1969, and is generally credited with modernising an organisation that had fallen behind in the wake of the launch of ITV in 1955.-Early life and work:Hugh was born...
- Raymond GreeneRaymond GreeneCharles Raymond Greene was a Doctor of Medicine and mountaineer, brother of the novelist Graham Greene and the broadcaster Hugh Greene....
- Graham Greene
- Charles Henry (1865–1942)