By WES Member Clare Walsh

I attended the Goole Civic Society’s blue plaque event for Anne Greaves, the first woman member of the Institute of Quarry Managers, on Saturday 30th April.

The Goole Civic Society aims to raise blue plaques more widely in the local area, as they have had a number of local notable persons recognised.  This was reflected in the booklet produced by the Society for this event, which included a prominent local cricketer, Percy Jeeves, who was killed in the
first world war, and the women who kept the Goole docks, shipbuilding and repairing going during the second world war.  Goole is also home to the first hotel built in England, the Lowther Hotel from 1824.

Anne was a very interesting lady, having started out as a confectioner when helping her mother run a business, and then after marrying and having four children, separated from her husband and began her quarrying and manufactured stone businesses.  If you read Wikipedia, the evidence for her life post-1948 is difficult to evidence, so they record her as having died shortly after selling her businesses on to a Mr Douglas Middleton-Walker.

However, diligent research from the Society and others has led to the discovery that she moved with one of her sons to what was then Salisbury in Rhodesia, now Harare in Zimbabwe, where she lived well until 1971.

The blue plaque has been installed on the side of the building Anne grew up in, where they had their confectionery business.  Unfortunately, it is rather high up, so taking photos is not easy!  After a lovely presentation from the GCS Chair, Margaret Hicks-Clarke, there were refreshments and time to speak to interesting and interested parties, including members of the Society and some of the people involved in researching Anne's history.  We then walked from the Spire Centre to the location of the blue plaque for photos, in beautiful weather.

All in all, a lovely event!  This is my second blue plaque event representing WES in Yorkshire, and I am sure that the Centenary Trail will generate far more.  Do look out for more events, and go along.