Edwin Septimus Green

(1843 – 1871)

Edwin Green was a son of a surgeon from County Durham. Edwin followed in his father’s footsteps and qualified as a surgeon in Edinburgh, which was regarded as providing the best medical training at the time. In 1867, Edwin married Harriet Anderson and they moved to Settle. They lived in Duke Street and had three daughters.

Besides his general practice, Edwin was surgeon to the Settle to Carlisle Railway. His district included the Ingleton Fells and Batty Green. Edwin also served the Settle Union Workhouse in Giggleswick.

Edwin was only 27 when he died in tragic circumstances in 1871. His foot was caught in a rope he was attaching to a cart when his horse was startled and he was dragged along the road for a mile and a half. Even though he was only in Settle for four years, the manner of his death may have contributed to the decision to dedicate a window to him at Holy Ascension Church. The window design includes the phrase ‘He went doing good’.

His widow Harriet and their daughters moved to live in Portsmouth. Their daughters all made good marriages to wealthy professional men; Emily married the Reverend Thomas Charlesworth, son of the Settle solicitor. When Harriet died her body was brought back to Settle for burial.

This was not the end of the Greens’ connection with Settle, however. Edwin’s elder brother, Francis, replaced him as railway surgeon. Francis’ obituary states that ‘His reputation and skill speedily brought him a large and lucrative practice.’