Vivian Hubert Howard Green was a Fellow and Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford, a priest, author, teacher, and historian.
Background
Green was born in Wembley, Middlesex, England. His parents, Hubert and Edith Green, owned confectionery shops, first in Wembley, and then on the Isle of Wight. Strongly encouraged by his mother, Green attended Bradfield College, Berkshire, then won a Goldsmith"s scholarship to Trinity Hall, Cambridge (1933), where he achieved a First in the Tripos.
Education
Trinity Hall; Bradfield College.
Career
He was also celebrated for his influence on his student John le Carré, who in 1995 acknowledged him as one of the models for his spymaster character George Smiley. At Trinity Hall, he specialised in ecclesiastical history and became the Lightfoot Scholar. Postgraduate work was done on a Gladstone Scholarship to Street Deiniol"s Library, Hawarden followed by a period of lecturing on ecclesiastical history at Street Augustine"s College, Canterbury.
When asked if he had considered sitting the exams for ordination, he noted that this would pose problems as he was responsible for marking them, but he was ordained in 1939 by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Cosmo Gordon Language.
Green was the only Fellow of Lincoln to vote against the college accepting women, but remained in office after the vote in 1979, becoming Rector in 1983. He died in Oxfordshire and is buried in the churchyard of Street Oswalds Church, Widford, Oxfordshire.
1939–1948 Fellow, Street Augustine"s College, Canterbury
1939 Ordained Deacon
1940 Ordained Priest
1940–1942 Chaplain, Exeter School and Street Luke"s College, Exeter
1942–1951 Chaplain and Assistant Master, Sherborne School
1951–1969 Chaplain, Lincoln College, Oxford
1951–1983 Fellow and Tutor in History
1970–1983 Sub-Rector
1972–1973 Acting Rector
1983–1987 Rector
1987–2005 Honorary Fellow.