Lambert Greene was the fourth in a whole series of medical Greenes who served the population of Newmarket throughout 17th century, over several generations (see The Greenes for more details).
He was baptised at St Mary’s church, Newmarket on 6th October 1650, son of Lambert Greene and Susan Greene née Hamerton. He was the grandson of Robert Greene, almost certainly Robert Greene the medic. His father Lambert died just three weeks after little Lambert’s baptism. In the will (written just 2 days before his son’s baptism) the father left him two separate acres of land, on trust to his mother until he should reach the age of 24 years (and interestingly Lambert junior mentioned these two acres in his own will of 1678, nearly three decades later). After just one year though, in October 1651, his mother married Francis Greene the Newmarket apothecary, who must have been a close relative of some form, likely continuing Robert Greene’s practice (see The Greenes and The Greenes-Fraser chain for more detail). So little Lambert essentially became the son of Francis Greene and grew up to become an apothecary like his step-father. Francis mentions him in his will, calling him his son (but also ‘sonne in law’ – by which he must have meant legal but not biological son). Lambert died in his late 20s seemingly unmarried. His will is interesting, not only in the way it’s dated, but also in that it contains lots of references to relatives, making the lower branches of the Greene family tree much clearer (see the references below). Lambert is also mentioned posthumously in his mother’s will of 1693.
Lambert would have been in his mid 20s when Francis Greene died. He would presumably have continued his step father’s practice, which likely went back to the time of his great grandfather Richard Greene. His half sister Susan (daughter of Francis Greene and Susan) married Thomas Fraser in 1676, who likely would have been about the same age Lambert. Thomas Fraser called himself a ‘surgeon’ whereas Lambert was an apothecary. Quite how much their roles would have differed is unclear (see The history of medical treatments, training, qualifications and regulation for more background and discussion on that subject). Robert Greene was licensed to practice medicine and surgery. Francis Greene was likely apprenticed to him, so although calling himself an apothecary, would likely have had some surgical skills. Likewise with Lambert. However, with Lambert Greene calling himself an apothecary and Thomas Fraser a surgeon, it’s possible they worked together in complementary roles, Lambert fulfilling a more medicinal/pharmacy role and Thomas being more surgical in his practice, thus fulfilling the dual role that Robert Greene had performed as a sole practitioner earlier. Having said that, it’s possible that they only worked together for two years, since Thomas Fraser might not have come to Newmarket until 1676 and Lambert died in 1678. It’s possible they didn’t work together at all. However, if they did, it’s likely Thomas Fraser continued the Greenes’ practice until 1695, when he moved to Newington to die (see the page on Thomas Fraser for more details).
Towards the end of the 17th century there was another apothecary named Gilman in Newmarket. It’s possible that after the death of Lambert Green, Gilman replaced his role in town, and he might therefore have worked alongside Thomas Fraser in a similar way to that proposed above for Lambert. What’s even less clear is how the practice(s) of Lambert Greene, Gilman and/or Thomas Fraser relate to that of William Raby the younger the barber-surgeon (and his uncle?), who would have been about the same age as them all. By the end of the 17th century the population of Newmarket and surrounding area seems to have become large enough to support several medics of various shades simultaneously, who may or may not have worked together in complementary or competing roles.
1648, 6th February: Lambert Green married Susan Hammerton, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J562/69, microfilm transcript, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
1650, 4th October: The will of Lamberti Greene. Reference: The National Archives, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11/215 (Probate 11th February 1651).
1650, 6th October: Lambert son of Lambert Green baptised, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J552/9, microfilm of Newmarket St Mary’s parish register, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
1650, 29th October: Lambert Green son of Robert Green deceased buried, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J562/69, microfilm transcript, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
1651, 30th October: Mr Francis Green married Susan Green (widow), St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J562/69, microfilm transcript, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
1656, 10th January: Susan daughter of Mr Francis Green baptised, St Mary’s church, Newmarket. Reference: J562/69, microfilm transcript, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
1672, 23rd September: The will of Francis Greene of Newmarket in the county of Suffolk, apothecary. References: IC500/1/126(77) (original) and IC500/2/66/44 (registered copy and probate, August 1674), (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: click here for more details.]
1676, 6th December: Mr Thomas Phrasier of Whitehall London married Mrs Susan Green (spinster) of Newmarket St Maries at Exning. Reference: J562/31 microfilm transcript, Phillimore WPW, Blagg TM. Suffolk Parish Registers. Marriages. 1910;1:41, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
1678, 10th May: The will of Lambert Greene of Newmarket in the county of Suffolk, apothecary. Reference: E3/10/12.2, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: there is also a copy in the National Archives, Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, PROB 11/356/503.], [Note also, click here for more details.]
1693, 9th May: The will of Susanna Green, widow, Newmarket. Reference: R2/72/262, on microfilm, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds). [Note: click here for more details.]
1695, 15th May: Gilman the apothecary occupying a shop in Drapery Row, Newmarket manorial records. Reference: 359/10 pg 68, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
May P. Newmarket Medieval and Tudor. Published privately; 1982. [Note: see comments regarding this and other Peter May material on The Greenes page.]
May P. The changing face of Newmarket 1600 – 1760. Peter May Publications; 1984. [Note: see comments regarding this and other Peter May material on The Greenes page.]
The research notes of Peter May. Reference: HD1584, (Suffolk County Record Office, Bury St Edmunds).
Suffolk Medical Biographies. Profile for Greene, Lambert. http://www.suffolkmedicalbiographies.co.uk/Profile.asp?Key=3220 (originally accessed pre October 2013). [Note: see comments regarding this website on the Francis Greene page.]
Note: For published material referenced on this website see the ‘Acknowledgements for resources of published material’ section on the ‘Usage &c.’ page. The sources used for original unpublished documents are noted after each individual reference. Any census records are referenced directly to The National Archives, since images of these are so ubiquitous on microfilm and as digital images that they almost function like published works. Census records are covered by the ‘Open Government Licence’ as should be other such public records (see the ‘Copyright and related issues’ section on the ‘Usage &c.’ page for which references constitute public records, and any other copyright issues more generally such as fair dealing/use etc.).