Goole’s newest Blue Plaque has been unveiled, honouring a pioneering Goole quarry
manager who invented her own brand of cast stone.
The plaque, which is the fourth one in Goole, was unveiled on Saturday, April 30, by
the Civic Society who have been instrumental in getting the item installed.
The unveiling event begin with a buffet lunch and presentation at the Spire Centre on
Church Street, before the plaque was unveiled to guests at the Royal Hotel on Aire
Street.
Goole Mayor, Councillor Chris Bailey also marked the occasion by cutting a specially
designed cake in the shape of the plaque.
The subject of the new plaque is Anne Greaves who was born Annie Harris in
December 1888.
In her early years Anne lived with her parents at 9 Aire Street, now part of the Royal
Hotel, where the plaque is situated.
She worked as a confectioner in Goole and in 1909 married Somerton Greaves, who
earned his money in the shipping industry. The couple went on to have four children
and later separated.
By the early 1920s Anne had made a dramatic career change into quarrying and in
1925 was elected as the first female member of the Institute of Quarry Managers. One of
her great successes was the invention of ‘Betna’ Cast Stone.
The Chair of Goole Civic Society, Margaret Hicks-Clarke, said: “This is our fourth
Blue Plaque. Each one of them tells a fascinating story that we felt deserved to be told
more widely.
“Anne’s tells of a pioneering and resourceful woman who was a major figure in
quarrying and invented ‘Betna’ cast stone as a solution to the shortage of skilled masons
after the First World War.”
During the day’s events, the Civic Society also launched a free booklet to pay tribute
to Anne and the three previous subjects of Blue Plaques in Goole, including Percy
Jeeves, a war hero, cricketer and inspiration for the name of the PG Wodehouse
character; the brave women who worked in Goole’s shipyards in both world wars; and
the oldest hotel in England, The Lowther.
The event and the booklet were both funded by East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Do
It For East Yorkshire Community Grant.

Guests included:- Susan Butler, Harvey Tripp, Clare Walsh and landlord of the Ryal Hotel
Malcolm Hitchman, Goole Mayor Cllr Chris Bailey and Katherine Walker