Daughter pays tribute to mum well-known in Northampton as ‘the toffee lady’

The 85-year-old died peacefully in her sleep after testing positive for Covid-19
Hilda Rudkin, also known as 'toffee lady', died on Sunday (May 3) at the age of 85.Hilda Rudkin, also known as 'toffee lady', died on Sunday (May 3) at the age of 85.
Hilda Rudkin, also known as 'toffee lady', died on Sunday (May 3) at the age of 85.

A woman who was well-known in Northampton for her homemade toffee and toffee apples has died.

Hilda Rudkin, who made a name for herself as the ‘toffee lady’ when she started working in the bus station in the 1980s, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday (May 3) after testing positive for Covid-19.

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The 85-year-old, who was a great, great grandmother, was born in Far Cotton before moving to Bath for a period of time, which is when her passion for toffee really started.

Hilda's daughters shared their mum's toffee recipe on social media.Hilda's daughters shared their mum's toffee recipe on social media.
Hilda's daughters shared their mum's toffee recipe on social media.

Vikky Rudkin, one of Hilda’s two daughters, said: “Mum lived with her grandmother for a while and that is who taught her how to make toffee.

“When mum’s mum died, her and her younger brother were moved into a care home in Bath.

“That’s when she started making toffee on her own. She wanted to give her little brother something that was familiar.”

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After moving back to Northampton, Hilda and her husband bought a brand new house on the Kings Heath estate when it was first built and she got a job in the bus station cafe.

Vikky added: “Mum had been making toffee before she started working there but the places where she worked previously had been longer hours and harder work and she had small children to look after, so she didn’t have much time.

“When she started working there she’d give it out to families and customers.

“Then when my dad died when I was 16, he was the love of her life, so she was a single parent from then on because another relationship or thinking about being with someone else was just not an option for her.

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“When I left home that is when the toffee started to take off on a bigger scale.

“When she got home from work, she was on her own so it was a way of occupying her time.”

Vikky even recalls times when children would be waiting for her mum to get home so they could get some toffee.

“Mum loved children and she loved being able to give them toffee for them to enjoy. She also loved to be around people,” Vikky added.

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“She’d often get home from work and there would be a group of children loitering around and she’d say ‘would you like some toffee?’

“It was just doing good and being nice that she loved.”

Hilda lived in the same house in Kings Heath for 58 years and carried on working at the bus station well into her 70s.

“Mum saw a few generations growing up, that’s why she was so well known,” Vikky continued.

“She loved to work and also the fact that she could be around so many people, who became like family to her.

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“You could not go anywhere with her without someone saying hello. It took forever to get round town with her.”

Since she passed away last weekend, Vikky and her sister have shared tributes to their mum on social media, as well her hand written toffee recipe.

“We’ve been blown away by all the people who had memories of her,” Vikky said.

“It’s been so nice reading everyone’s comments. It’s made us realise the extent of how much she was loved and how much people thought of her.

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“People going back decades have been in contact with memories.

“It’s been so nice to read that and it has made us realise she needed a celebration not a mourning. That’s what she deserves.”

Hilda leaves behind two daughters, three grandchildren, five great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild.

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