George Green ground corn for a living (much like Spinoza who, I think ground lenses for a living), and I understand, is considered the father of British mathematical physics.
According to Steven G Krantz (Mathematical Intelligencer, Volume 26, Number 1, p. 68 (2004)) George Green either introduced or discussed
(1) the idea of potential function,
(2) the Green's theorem,
(3) the idea of reciprocity,
(4) the idea of singular value, and
(5) the idea of Green's function
in a single paper (published privately in 1828). This article also contains the photograph of the windmill where Green ground corn and his grave in Nottingham.
Apparently, the biography by D M Cannell titled "George Green, Mathematician and Physicist 1793-1841: The background to his life and work" aruges the interesting hypothesis, viz., that a more formal education than what Green had might have suppressed George Green's creativity. That reminds me of I I Rabi's statement that you can learn a lot in the college if you do not care for straight 'A's. The article of Krantz above is a review to this book. I have no access to this book, unfortunately. But since Kratnz recommends the book, I also recommend it to you, if you are so inclined.