1 This Book Is Dedicated to Elizabeth & William Without Whose Pillow Talk May Never Have Been Written. I Will Leave the Titl
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1 This book is dedicated to Elizabeth & William without whose pillow talk may never have been written. I will leave the title until the writing has taken shape. Our Livery - The Worshipful Company of Fruiterers - whose Mystery dates back in History to the original Guilds of Saxon times , took greater shape during the Medieval period and received its first Charter in 1606 in the reign of James the First . I mention these facts to give background to the purpose we had of the planting of trees which we can safely say has been happening since time immemorial . During the last two decades our programme has intensified, with particular reference to the 800th anniversary of the Mayoralty of the City of London, which we felt should be particularly commemorated, recognising our Livery’s particular function as one of the 100 Liveries operating within our great City of London. The Fruit trees we plant come from nurseries from the counties of England, Scotland & Wales, with particular reference to the research centres of East Malling & Brogdale with whom we are connected via the Company’s Membership. I will endeavour to illustrate from our carefully kept files - the occasions , terrain, personalities , and I hope in certain instances the humour , and most certainly the comradeship of all Husbands & Wives attending the ceremonies. In generality we endeavour to leave a plaque at the site to commemorate the planting and the officiating Master of the year - who uses the ceremonial Spade which is duly engraved once a year with the names of the places visited. This will also be illustrated in the following chapters. So that in short is what we are all about.! Now I will lay before you the current history of the plantings. 2 When Prince Charles & Princess Diana , married in 1981 The Livery presented them with a wedding gift of an orchard of fruit trees at Highgrove and this orchard continues to flourish. I should mention subsequently in 1989 the Prince of Wales was elected an Honorary Liveryman of the Company. H.R.H. Prince Charles. Highgrove.1981-82-83. This presentation Orchard comprising of 128 trees, of Apples,Plums,Pears,Damsons,Cherries,Medlars,Peaches,Apricots,Nectarines,& Quinces, - most of which are listed herein. From time to time visits are made by the Livery’s Masters to observe the condition of the Orchard - in particular, in 1985 Past Master Ron Starns & in 1988 Past Master Anthony Coster. Past Master Alan Todd keeps a professional eye on the collection with periodic visits. The illustration clearly shows our Plaque H.R.H.Prince Charles seated beneath. Obviously, members of the Masters’ Committee invited to Highgrove have most personal impressions - one recalling in the Lounge - the Coffee and side tables completely covered with framed pictures of our own & other European Royal families. Needless to say the Gardens in which the trees were planted were impressive and supplied most of the Royal Palaces with produce. The Orchard list: Apples. 1 Norfolk Royal Russet 1908. Dr Harvey 1629. 3 Elstar 1970. Discovery 1955. Lord Derby 1862. James Grieve 1893. Golden Delicious 1890. Egremont Russet 1872. Howgate Wonder 1915. Fortune 1904. Charles Ross 1890 Rev.W.Wilks 1904. Blenheim Orange 1740. Epicure 1909. Arthur Turner 1915. Edward V11 1902. American Mother 1844. Ribston Pippin 1700. Sturmer 1831. Jupiter 1980. Katya Spartan 1926. Idared 1942. Ashmeade Kernel 1700 Lord Lambourne 1907. Rosemary Russet 1831. Orleans Reinette France VO. Grenadier 1862. Merton Knave 1948 Newton Wonder 1867. Sunset 1918. Red Ellison Superb 1897 Worcester Pearmain 1874. Michaelmas Red 1929. Jonagold 1965. Gloster 69 1965 Greensleeves 1970. Early Victoria 1899. Ballerina Bolero Ballerina Polka Ballerina Waltz. PEARS: Onward Doyenne du Comice. Louise bonne of Jersey. Beth. Fertility. Williams bon Chretian. 4 Conference. Beurre Hardy. Nouveau Poiteau. Winter Nelis. Glou Morceau Pitmaston Duchess. CHERRIES: Gaucher Bigarreau. Frogmore Early Bigarreau. Florence. Amber Heart. Merton Favourite Morello. Noir de Guben. Early Rivers. Sunburst. PLUMS: Opal. Victoria. Majories Seedling. Czar. Kirkes Blue. QUINCE: Vranja. Champion. Pear Shaped. Ludovic. OTHERS: Prune Damson. Lord Napier Nectarine. Nottingham Medlar. Alfred Apricot. Peregrine Peach. Hales Early & Rochester Peaches. Apricot Early Moorpark.2 Before closing this Chapter let us consider the beauty of the names with which we christened our fruit trees - for as it is with our countrys’ landscape with village & 5 County names which when spoken linger on the tongue - so it is our language and taste buds are enriched by the fruits we eat. THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. Gardens, Wisley, Surrey.1985-86. This collection of 90 apple & 40 pear trees virus tested, mother trees from the Long Ashton Research Station, before it closed down its Fruit Department. This material has created a unique orchard with the purpose of making available Virus Free scionwood to both amateur & professional fruit growers. At that time it represented the largest concentration of clean material brought together on one site. Harry Baker a Honorary Freeman of the Livery Company, watched over the collection until his retirement , he now lives in Hampshire, no doubt still writing on his favoured subject! The English Apple, illustrated by Rosanne Sanders in association with the R.H.S. carries some of his writings. The illustration shows the Orchard layout with attendant plaque. The reader will no doubt be interested to see the named varieties : Adam’s Pearmain. Ashmead Kernal. Captain Kidd. Charles Ross. Cheddar Cross. Chivers Delight. Cortland. Crispin. Cox’s Orange Pippin. Discovery Egremont Russet. Epicure. Exeter Cross. Falstaff. Gala. George Cave Gloster 69 Golden Russet Granny Smith. Greensleeves Hardispur Delicious Holiday Holstein James Grieve Katy (Katja) Kidd’s Orange Red. King of the Pippins. Lobo Lady Lambourne. Laxton’s Fortune. Lord Lambourne. Pixie. Malling Kent. McIntosh Red. Merton Beauty Merton Joy. 6 Merton Knave. Merton Prolific Michaelmas Red. Red Fortune Miller’s Seedling. American Mother. Orleans Reinette. Red Melba Red Beauty of Bath. Red Cave. Red Ellison. Sunburn. Red Holstein. Red James Grieve. Red Jonathan. Splendour Red Miller. Ribston Pippin. Richard Delicious Smoothie Rogers McIntoch. Rosemary Russet Saint Cecilia. Summerland. Saint Edmund’s Pippin Suntan Stark Earliest Winston Suntan Sunset. Tydeman’s Early. Tydeman’s Late Orange William Crump .Arthur Turner. Belle de Boskoop. Blenheim Orange. Bramley’s Seedling Crawley Beauty. Edward V11. Emneth EarlyGolden Noble, Grenadier. Howgate Wonder. Lane’s Prince Albert. Lord Derby. Lodi. Newton Wonder. Rev. W.Wilks. Warner’s King. -o0o- In the May of 1988, the Author was invited by the Master, Anthony Graham Coster, to become an Honorary Assistant of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers, and also to join one of their Committees - namely the Livery & Communications Committee. The Master elect was David Hope-Mason , who also served on the same committee - at one of these meeting David put forward the idea that as the year of his office coincided with the 800th anniversary of the City of London Mayoralty, he would like celebrate this in a way particular to our Company - he asked me if I would undertake 7 the task reconstituting a specific planting programme in his year 1989. Thus the Modus Operandi is explained. We felt that as we already had a lead inasmuch as Highgrove & Wisley I should approach the National Trust - the Royal Horticultural Society - and similar organisations and places where gardens and orchards were visited by members of the Public, to enable them to enjoy the beauty of Fruit trees in growth - blossom - and fruit. This is how “Topsy” grew!!. IGHTHAM MOTE. National Trust. Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks,Kent. 1989. When I first opened correspondence with the trust in July 89 - they were most receptive to the idea of our planting - and the file soon expanded with friendly correspondence from Dottie Owens, Carole Kenwright,Jim Marshall, & the Regional Director Mr W.A.Kingston.FRICS. This property with its attendant orchard, seemed so perfect to the purpose as my wife and I found on our preliminary reconnoitre- a Medieval Manor house, set in Kent “the garden of England” The planting took place in December 89 with Master David Hope-Mason & the NT Director Mr Kingston with their hands on the spades. We were unable to leave a plaque as it is against the policy of the National Trust but the occasion is noted in their Commemorative Book for Kent & East Sussex from 1st January 1969. These are the Kentish varieties we planted on the day. BLENHEIM ORANGE PIPPIN. NONPAREIL. WARNER’S KING. FLOWER OF KENT. COURT PENDU PLAT. 8 Ightham Mote was saved for our heritage by an “American Cousin” Charles Henry Robinson who had undertaken as much repair work as finance would allow - before giving the property over to the National Trust for their benevolence. I remember being particularly impressed on entering the reception Hall by having before my eyes a painting by our Sir Winston Churchill of Ightham Mote which in my opinion was of high quality. The planting and tour of the premises completed - our assembled party retired to The Plough, at Ivy Hatch, for a thoroughly good lunch. ooOoo LEEDS CASTLE. The Leeds Castle Foundation. Maidstone,Kent. 1989. Correspondence was opened with the Castle Agent and Curator - John D. Money when they were pleased to accept our offer of some presentation fruit trees for the estate. The then Gardener, was Mr Maurice Bristow, a most interesting and amenable person who undertook to see the trees would be well placed, and that the plaque by which we indicated the occasion - would be suitably secured . Unfortunately the plaque disappeared as so many have a habit of so doing , unless they are well set in stone or concrete, and the Castle Trust have decided to discontinue the practice of placing plaques for this reason.