Thomas Green (less properly Greene) (1658 – 18 May 1738) was an English academic and bishop.


Thomas Green

Bishop of Ely
DioceseDiocese of Ely
In office1723–1738
PredecessorWilliam Fleetwood
SuccessorRobert Butts
Other post(s)Bishop of Norwich (1708–1721)
Personal details
Bornbaptized (1658-12-12)12 December 1658
Died18 May 1738(1738-05-18) (aged 79)
Ely House, Holborn, London
BuriedEly Cathedral
NationalityBritish
DenominationAnglican
SpouseCatherine Trimnell
EducationNorwich School
Alma materCorpus Christi College, Cambridge

Life

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He was born in Norwich, and educated at Norwich School and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1679 and became a Fellow in 1680.[1] He was Master of Corpus from 1698 to 1716, clashing with Robert Moss, and Vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge, in 1699 and 1713.

With the support of Thomas Tenison, he became chaplain to Sir Stephen Fox, and rector of Minster-in-Thanet. He was Archdeacon of Canterbury from 1708 to 1721.[2]

A Whig in politics, he became chaplain to George I of Great Britain, and rector of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields in 1716. In 1721 he became Bishop of Norwich, and in 1723 Bishop of Ely. As bishop of Ely, Green had visitatorial powers at Trinity College, Cambridge, and intervened from 1729 in the quarrel between Richard Bentley, who was the Master, and the Fellows. The matter dragged out and went to the House of Lords, only terminating in Green's death.

He was known as a “finical” character, a taker of snuff and sometimes called “Miss Green” for his feminine face.

References

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  1. ^ "Greene, Thomas (GRN674T)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  2. ^ 'Archdeacons: Canterbury', Fasti Ecclesiae Anglicanae 1541-1857: volume 3: Canterbury, Rochester and Winchester dioceses (1974), pp. 15-17. URL: [1], Date accessed: 17 January 2010.
Academic offices
Preceded by Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
1698–1716
Succeeded by
Church of England titles
Preceded by Bishop of Norwich
1708–1721
Succeeded by
Preceded by Bishop of Ely
1723–1738
Succeeded by
  NODES
Note 1