Three Generations of the Green Family

Pictured above: Michael Green is pictured below holding his prized copy of his father’s Military Medal citation.

Michael Green (SVC 1946-52) recently visited the College to check on archival material relating to his father Joseph Albert Green. 

Joseph was in the initial St Virgil’s enrolment and graduated in 1913. He was to serve with distinction the Australian 4th Division during WWI and was the recipient of the Military Medal. Joseph married Margaret Heerey in 1930 and they had two children – John (SVC 1942-47) and Michael. John passed away in December, 2002. Joseph became a headmaster with the Tasmanian Education Department and served at Sorell, St Helens, Campbell Street, New Norfolk, Queenstown and South Hobart.

Joseph is pictured below along with the citation wording on relating to his receipt of the Military Medal.

Joseph Albert Green 1896-1979 (SVC 1911-1913)

Joseph’s brother, William, attended the College in 1911. He then became a Christian Brother and took the religious name Br Virgil. (An effort will be made to get details of William’s life from the Christian Brothers’ archives for inclusion in a future edition of  OVAtions.)

Joseph’s elder son, John, married Jacqueline Costigan and they had four children. The family lived in Melbourne and John was involved in the hospitality industry.

Michael’s time at St Virgil’s can best be described as outstanding. He was Head Prefect in 1952 and captained the senior football, cricket and tennis teams as well as representing the College in athletics and cross country. He went on to play football with OVA and Sandy Bay and was an A Grade tennis and squash player.

Post school he completed a Diploma of Management at the University of Tasmania and after a brief period in the insurance industry commenced at Connors Clothing Store in 1961. He was to remain with this firm as its General Manager till his retirement and the closure of the firm in 1993.

Michael and his wife Mary have been married for 63 years had five children - Gerard, Paul, Damian, Gemma and Margaret. All three boys attended St Virgil’s and Gemma married pharmacist Chris Johnson (SVC 1968-77).

Sadly whilst in Year 8 at Austins Ferry Gerard developed a debilitating spinal illness which was to impinge on the quality of his life. Despite this, he battled on to graduate from the College in 1979 and went on to the gain a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Tasmania.  He finally succumbed to his to his illness in May, 1991,  aged 29.  Gerard was elected to the prefect body in his final year at St Virgil’s and is pictured with his fellow prefects in the picture below. 

Second son Paul attended St Virgil’s College 1975-80 and like when on to graduate from the University of Tasmania with a Commerce/Accounting degree. He is currently the Chief Operating Officer of the Enterprise Division of KPMG Australia, and the Tasmanian Chairman of Partners. 

Paul was Board Director (Deputy Chairman) for Cricket Tasmania and Chairman of its Finance Committee 2008-17 before moving onto Cricket Australia where he has been a Director since 2018.

Paul had an involvement with Common Ground Tasmania from 2008-17 where he served a a Board Director and Deputy Chair. Common Ground Tasmania is about providing people with the support they need to recover from the trauma of homelessness, to exit an endless cycle of homelessness and crisis accommodation, to stay housed and to rebuild their lives. Four key features of the Common Ground supportive housing model: - Permanent, affordable accommodation with design features adding value to the surrounding community.

Third son Damian attended the College 1977-82. In his final year he captained the First XI and won the First XVIII best and fairest in the State premiership team – he kicked an amazing 126 goals in the 11 game roster. He went onto have an exceptional career with the North Hobart cricket team during a period when the club won several senior premierships. He continued his football with Sandy Bay and with the ‘old boys’.

Damian graduated from the University of Tasmania with a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma of Education. He was  a member of staff at Austins Ferry in 1990-98, before spending a period in Hong Kong. Upon  took up an appointment at the Hutchins and this year marks his 20th year there.

Back to Michael. He has given of himself in numerous ways to the Hobart community.  He has served on the P&F Committees of both St Mary’s and St Virgil’s College and on the Board of Management of the former. Michael was chair of Mary’s Grange Home Board for the Aged for 15 years and has a long association with the Sandy Bay parish particularly through its St Vincent de Paul branch. He has also had an involvement Loui’s Van, Bethlehem House, Food Bank and the Centacare Refugee Program.