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Mrs. Ann Greaves of the Rutland Arms and the Bakewell Pudding
ISBN 978-0-9562706-3-4
by Paul Hudson.
Re-printed May 2015 - 28 pages, illustrated.
A5 - Softback : £3.00 from bookstores + £1.00 (UK P&P)

Paul Hudson served for 32 years in the Metropolitan Police Force, the last 28 of which he spent in Special Branch. In 1996 he retired from his position as second-in-command of Prime Minister John Major's personal protection team. He is the great-great-grandson of James Hudson and comes from Bakewell.


In April 2011 around 120 descendants of Mrs Ann Greaves, the originator of the Bakewell Pudding, met at a family get-together held at the Rutland Arms Hotel in Bakewell where the first of the famous puddings was made. It was the first time that many of the family members had met and many historical photographs, documents and memories were exchanged during the weekend. The get-together had been arranged by locally born Paul Hudson, a great-great-great-grandson of Ann Greaves. He is the author of two previous books about Bakewell, “Ann Summers - Creator of the World Famous Bakewell Pudding” and “James Hudson Esq. 1804-1859 A Man of Bakewell” which is all about Ann Greaves’ eldest son, James Hudson, who was born at the Rutland Arms and went to London in search of fame and fortune.

Ann Greaves had moved to Bakewell from Cromford with her first husband, James Hudson, as innkeeper and innkeeper’s wife of the newly built Rutland Arms coaching inn, constructed in 1803 on the site of the old White Horse Inn. On the death of her husband, James Hudson, Ann married William Greaves and he became the second innkeeper of the Rutland Arms. The Hudson/Greaves family were to run the hotel from 1803 until 1895!

As a result of the substantial coverage of the get-together in the Derbyshire press several people from the area made contact with Paul Hudson to reveal that they were also related to the Greaves/Hudson family and, in particular, to William, the second son of Ann Greaves. Several juicy new stories about the family and the Bakewell Pudding have been revealed as a result of the new contacts. As so much new information has come to light since the publication of the two above-mentioned books Paul has decided to include it in an all encompassing booklet called “Mrs Ann Greaves of the Rutland Arms and the Bakewell Pudding” (ISBN 978-0-9562706-3-4).

Firstly, Paul is now able to accurately estimate the date of the accident which resulted in the making of the first Bakewell Pudding in the kitchens of the Rutland Arms and has not only identified the waitress who assisted Mrs Greaves with its creation but has also obtained a very old photograph of her! William, known within the family as “Billy” had also been born at the Rutland Arms, and had learnt the trade at the hands of his parents. In 1857 he took over the licence of the Rutland Arms from his mother on her 80th birthday and in his booklet Paul is able to divulge a story of immense sexual skulduggery involving Billy Greaves and several members of staff at the hotel as well as revealing the date of the first Bakewell Pudding. Also for the first time he is able to publish a portrait of Billy Greaves, who was connected with the hotel throughout his lifetime from 1807 to 1894. Paul would like to thank Jill Inckle of Wirksworth and Jennifer & Tony Gandy of Chesterfield, all relatives of Billy Greaves, for coming forward and sharing their stories with him.

The new owners of the Rutland Arms Hotel, Chris and Hazel Renshaw, are very keen to promote the story of Mrs Ann Greaves and the making of the first Bakewell Pudding at their famous establishment and have named one of their newly-refurbished bedrooms “The Greaves Room” in memory of Ann Greaves and her eminent family. They have also named several bedrooms after some of the famous people who made The Rutland Arms their home during their stays in Bakewell over the years. These include Jane Austen, Lord Byron, Charles Dickens and JMW Turner. The Renshaws have carried out extensive renovations and improvements which have resulted in the hotel returning to its prominent position within the Peak District.

The town of Bakewell must be very grateful for the involvement of Mrs Ann Greaves in the creation of the first Bakewell Pudding in the kitchens of the Rutland Arms Hotel all those years ago. Every visitor who comes to Bakewell has to try a piece of Bakewell Pudding, no matter which establishment they buy it from. It has certainly put Bakewell on the world map and has added to the current popularity and prosperity of the market town.

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