Its a Lancashire version of bread pudding that also includes suet and citrus rind. I have no idea why it is called Wet Nellie but I just love the name. It's also quite a tasty dish on a cold winter's day.
Maybe it was in answer to, 'Let not poor Nellie starve'. She won't with a bread pudding inside her and she wouldn't have had to look far for the citrus rind.
merlotgran I don't think she had any connection with Lancashire. It isn't included in the list of any of her putative birthplaces. On the other hand, your suggestion about orange rind does make a good point. Then again "wet' is not very complimentary about someone called "pretty witty Nell". It's a mystery.
You rotter absent I was waiting to add Wet Nellie to the list. Despite spending the first 32 years of my life just across the water from Liverpool I only came across it at the NT café whilst visiting Speke Hall near Lpool. If anyone is interested a recipe for it is available on the NT website.