Joseph Green (sportsman)
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| Born | Joseph Fletcher Green 28 April 1846[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Died | 28 August 1923 (aged 77)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Rugby School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Joseph Green (1846–1923) was a rugby union international who represented England in 1871 in the first international match.[1]
Early life
[edit]Joseph Green was born on 28 April 1846 in West Ham.[1] He was the second son of Frederick Green (1814–76), and grandson of George Green (1767-1847), of the Blackwall shipbuilding family and his wife Elizabeth (née Fletcher) of Stepney (1813–70).[2] Joseph Green was educated at Rugby[1] and upon leaving school to join his father's firm returned to London
Rugby union career
[edit]In London, Green chose to play for West Kent Football Club alongside A. G. Guillemard.
It was written that "for several years [he] was one of the most brilliant of half-backs, being an excellent field, and when once under way as speedy a runner as was ever seen with a ball under his arm, his stride being magnificent."[3] He was selected to play for England in the first ever international match on 27 March 1871 at Edinburgh in the Scotland vs England contest.[1] However, Green sustained a knee injury which ended his career.[3]
Cricket
[edit]Joseph also played first-class cricket for the Marylebone Cricket Club.[4] He had been in his school's First XI and went on to play two first-class matches in 1870. Of his cricketing skills it was written in the Rugby magazine: "Came out as a bowler at the beginning of the year, but lost precision the latter part, but with great care he may recover it; is a good hitter, but takes things a trifle too cool when at the wicket; fields remarkably well". Three of his wife's brothers played for Kent, one of whom was Frank Penn an England International, as well as two of his nephews also being first-class players (one for Kent the other for Cambridge University).[4]
Career and personal life
[edit]
Joseph married Ellen Penn, the daughter of the famous marine engineer, John Penn of Blackheath on 1 August 1877.[2]
Joseph died on 28 August 1923. Joseph's elder brother was Sir Frederick Green, with both brothers involved in F. Green & Co., the passenger and cargo-managing arm of the Green family enterprise.[2] F. Green & Co. was later subsumed in the Orient Steam Navigation Co[2], and later the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.
References
[edit]- 1846 births
- 1923 deaths
- England international rugby union players
- English cricketers
- English rugby union players
- Gentlemen of the South cricketers
- Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers
- Rugby union halfbacks
- Rugby union players from the London Borough of Newham
- People from West Ham
- Cricketers from the London Borough of Newham
- People educated at Rugby School