Award-Winning Apple Feared Extinct

A dedicated search is underway in Derbyshire to locate Mrs Wilmot's Pippin, an award-winning dessert apple variety first cultivated in the late 1800s. This specific apple earned an RHS award of merit in 1921 for its distinctive flavour, a legacy producer Barry Lewis is determined to preserve. He fears this unique Derbyshire variety, one of only a handful of local types, has almost vanished.

Mary Wilmot cultivated the apple in Langley Mill, and her husband later submitted it for recognition. The apple was noted for its size, flavour, and acidity, showing promise for widespread popularity. However, by 1946, it had disappeared from national records following land development.

In 1992, efforts were made to revive the apple, with a tree identified in Codnor and cuttings sent to Brogdale National Fruit Collection. Unfortunately, Brogdale no longer has a sample, raising concerns about its survival through propagation processes. Despite these setbacks, Lewis remains hopeful that local propagation efforts have preserved the variety within Amber Valley, with a primary school submitting a sample for identification.