# Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Greenidge, Abel Hendy Jones

​GREENIDGE, ABEL HENDY JONES (1865–1906), writer on ancient history and law, second son of Nathaniel Heath Greenidge by his wife Elizabeth Cragg Kellman, was born on 22 Dec. 1865 at Belle Farm Estate, Barbados, in which island his father's family had been settled since 1635. His father, for many years vicar of Boscobel parish, was afterwards headmaster of various schools, and enjoyed a high reputation as a teacher. The eldest son, Samuel Wilberforce, of St. John's College, Cambridge, was 25th wrangler in the Cambridge mathematical tripos of 1886, and died in 1890.
Greenidge was educated at Harrison College, Barbados, winning in 1884 the Barbados scholarship, and in the same year (15 Oct.) matriculating at Balliol College, Oxford. Elected to an exhibition in the following year, he was placed in the first class both in classical moderations in 1886 and in the final classical school in 1888. He graduated B.A. in the same year, and proceeded M.A. in 1891 and D.Litt. in 1904. On 5 Dec. 1889 he was elected, after examination, fellow of Hertford College. There he became lecturer in 1892 and tutor in 1902, and he retained these offices until his death. He was also lecturer in ancient history at Brasenose College from 1892 to 1905. He vacated his fellowship at Hertford on his marriage in 1895, and on 29 June 1905 was elected to an official fellowship at St. John's. He examined in the final classical school in 1895-6-7-8. He died suddenly at his residence in Oxford of an affection of the heart on 11 March 1906, and was buried in Holywell churchyard.
Greenidge married on 29 June 1895 Edith Elizabeth, youngest daughter of William Lucy of Oxford, and had issue by her two sons. On 28 March 1907 a civil list pension of 75l. was granted to his widow 'in consideration of his services to the study of Roman law and history,' but she died on 9 July 1907.
In spite of his early death, and constant employment in academic teaching, Greenidge's literary work is notable for its quality and quantity. Shortly after graduating he contributed numerous articles to a new edition of 'Smith's Dictionary of Antiquities' (1890-1). His first book, 'Infamia, its Place in Roman Public and Private Law,' was published at Oxford in 1894. There followed 'A Handbook of Greek Constitutional History' (1896); 'Roman Public Life' (1901), and 'The Legal Procedure of Cicero's Time' (Oxford, 1901), which was the most important of Greenidge's completed works. He also revised Sir William Smith's 'History of Rome' (1897), and the first part (down to the death ​of Justinian) of the 'Student's Gibbon' (1899). In 1903, in co-operation with Miss A. M. Clay, he produced 'Sources for Roman History, B.C. 133–70' (Oxford) designed to prepare the way for a new 'History of Rome.' In 1904 he contributed an historical introduction to the fourth edition of Poste's 'Gaius.' In the same year appeared the first volume of 'A History of Rome during the Later Republic and Early Principate,' covering the years 133 to 104 B.C. This work was designed to extend to the accession of Vespasian and to fill six volumes, but no second volume was issued. Much of Greenidge's most interesting work is to be found in scattered articles, more particularly in the 'Classical Review.' His merit as an historian lies in his accurate accumulation of detail, combined with critical insight and power of exposition, which were not unmixed with occasional paradox.
A portrait in oils, subscribed for by the boys of the school, hangs in the hall of Harrison College, Barbados.
[Oxford Magazine, vol. xxiv. nos. 16 and 17; Journal of Comp. Legislation, new series, vol. vii. pt. i. p. 282; private information.]
R. W. L.