Benjamin Greene

For other people named Benjamin Greene, see Benjamin Greene (disambiguation).

Benjamin Greene (5 April 1780 – 26 November 1860) was the founder of Greene King, one of the United Kingdom's largest brewing businesses.

Career

Born in Oundle 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 established with his son, Benjamin Greene & Son, West India merchants and shipowners, at 11 Mincing Lane, London.

He died at Russell Square in London in 1860 and is buried at Highgate 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 - 1902) of Midgham House in Berkshire, Governor of the Bank of England
• Mary (1812–1870)
• Edward (1815–1891), Conservative MP for Bury St Edmunds (1865-1885) and Stowmarket (1886–91); Took charge of running the brewery.
• William (1824 - 1881)
  • Charles Henry (1865–1942)
    • Graham Greene
    • Sir Hugh Greene
    • Raymond Greene