I first met Ray back in 1981 when I came to Covent Garden as one of the GLC's Covent Garden Team. A few years later in 1985, whilst works were being carried out in the Hall, the market temporarily relocated to the Piazza around the Central Market building.
To be honest, I don't have many clear memories of Ray from that far back, but I remember the market then, the Jubilee what it was, how it changed & the wonderful & unique thing it became.
In many ways Ray & the Jubilee are the same thing, their fortunes & history so closely linked. I still have strong links with Covent Garden through the CG Area Trust & whenever I pass through, of course I think of this great man, this great friend, this great Covent Gardener.

I only found out today of the passing of a very good friend who I had not seen for over fifty years and was very saddened by the news. I got to know Ray just after the war ended in 1945 when we just seven years old and it wasn't just me.There were five of us and we called ourselves the clan. Corny I know but we were just kids. Ray was actually the leader of the clan although being the smallest he actually was the cleverest and even at a very early age was beginning to show signs of just how shrewd he was.
The other members of the clan was Maurice Truppin who lived two houses down from mine in St Andrews Grove.and just around the corner from Ray who lived at number ten Paget Road. then there was Mickey Feld who lived just around the other corner in Fairholt Road and finally Kenny Brown.
I have many happy memories of times we spent together like playing football and cricket in the street and having stone fights with melvyn Finkle. they were the good old days.                                                                                                   What saddens me the most is having lost touch with him. If only I could turn back time?                                                                                                                   To his family I wish long life and to let you know that a lot of people loved him long before most of you were born.

Simon Gillary.

A dear friend from way back. 

 In 1976 we Jubilee market traders were trading in that mud-floored filthy hole, open to the elements and subject to the whims of any administration that wanted to abuse us. Ten years later Ray Green had given us security of tenure, a stake in our own future and a reason to be proud. Without him it would never have happened. He did not do all that work just to build a company, but to make a difference to us, his market traders. JMH ltd was a mere vehicle to enable that change. In building it, Ray created not just a company but a Jubilee Market family. Ray was our dad, at the head of the table, commanding immense respect. He will never be forgotten. He was, in every respect that matters, loved and appreciated by everyone who knew him and an inspiration to us all. I carry a vision of him as he was in the 1980s with a big cigar, waving it to emphasis a point; perhaps the shortest person in the room and yet the biggest man by a mile. It was a pleasure to have known you Ray and I'm missing you already.

By Phil Reddy The Picture Stall Trading 1984 -1999 (Still a share holder )

How did he manage to keep all those balls in the air ?

How do you manage to pull together so many people from so many different backgrounds, walks of life ,religion's and form a partnership in the form of Jubilee Market .?

And then get no one other than the Queen to open it.?

If that's not hard enough then be able to keep most people happy for most of the time I think is pretty special. Ray managed to do that for more than 25 years.

Over the time we traded in JMH  I along with a number of other people must have driven him mad on a number of occasions.

On one occasion In the days of the building work when there was very little or no power I decided it would be a good idea to go down into the basement and link all the builders emergency lighting leads together . I somehow managed to get 8x 500 watt halogens running the stall . Ray walked by and gave me one of his looks and a shake of the head as if to say I despair but fair play. The door to the basement needless to say was locked the following week.

I was quite into my lighting and on another occasion I thought the Sprinkler System was the perfect Lighting Rail . Yes Ray walked by . Another shake of the head. The following week for some strange reason my stall had no power what so ever ?

"Phil the gap" was a phrase occasionally  used by Ray .If I could spread out I would. One windy day Ray walked by and was really not happy with how much I had spread out. In a fit of rage (which to be fair I very rarely saw) he picked up one of our 8x4 Marine Ply display Boards . At that point a gust of wind blew across the cobbles taking Ray and my sheet of Ply with it. Frighting but looking back given Rays size hilarious. I think he forgave me.

Another memory of Ray was his Dry Cleaning. Being the nearest stall to Rays parking space I fast became aware of how much Dry Cleaning he seemed to carry around. I wonder if he missed a trick there, maybe a Dry Ceaners on the corner of Tavistock Street could have been a possibility. Maybe not Ray did not miss too much.

I have many great memories of working in JMH. JMH and Ray Green . Its a bit like Salt and Pepper they belong together 

I will never forget him, he was always fair and always happy to listen to your point of view. If you had a problem Ray would always try and help you out..

Ray you will be sadly missed , your passion for the Market and determination to make it work held no boundaries. God Bless you and your family and once again .Thanks for the memories.

Phil and Sue Reddy

As they say  You don't realize how special somethings are until they are no longer there.