LORD DERBY

Apple

Origin and History

Raised by Mr. Witham, a nurseryman in Stockport, about the middle of the nineteenth century. Also known as London Major. One of the most appreciated sorts for market purposes, noted in the Herefordshire Pomona.

Tree

Growth: Sturdy and upright. Extremely fertile, with almost certain annual bearing habit—a highly valued characteristic for market cultivation.

Leaf: Long, rather dark, little upfolded, undulating margin, oval, serrate.

Fruit

Size: Large; 3½ by 3½ inches.

Form: Oblong-conical, irregular.

Skin: Pea green, changing to lemon-yellow at maturity.

Stem and Stem Cavity: Stem short, set in a very wide and shallow cavity quite without russet.

Calyx and Basin: Eye closed, situated in a very deep, wide, and irregular basin.

Flesh: Firm, pale yellow, sub-acid.

Flavor and Cooking: Cooks a deep golden red.

Core and Seeds: Not described in source.

Season

November to December.

Uses

Culinary. Highly valued for market purposes, particularly as a nearly certain annual cropper with distinctive deep golden-red cooking color.

Book Sources

Described in 1 period pomological work

Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

Nursery Catalog Sources

Found in 8 catalogs (1897–1917) from England, Illinois

Kelway & Son , Langport, Somerset , England — 1897
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1900
Central Experimental Farm , Dominion Department of Agriculture, Agassiz, British Columbia (under test; Bulletin No. 3, Second Series) — 1900
Benjamin Buckman (personal inventory) , Farmingdale , Illinois — 1901
James Veitch & Sons , Ltd., Royal Exotic Nursery, Chelsea, London (also Coombe Wood, Langley, and Feltham) , England — 1911
Thomas Rivers & Son , Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire , England — 1913
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1914
George Bunyard & Co. , Royal Nurseries, Maidstone, Kent , England — 1917

View original book sources (1)

LORD DERBY. Her. Pom., 73. (London Major.) Culinary, November to December, large, 3½ by 3½, oblong-conical, irregular. Colour, pea green, changing to lemon-yellow. Flesh, firm, pale yellow, sub-acid. Cooks a deep golden red. Eye, closed, in a very deep, wide and irregular basin. Stem, short, in a very wide and shallow cavity quite without russet. Growth, sturdy, upright ; extremely fertile. Leaf, long, rather dark, little upfolded, undulating, oval, serrate. Origin, raised by Mr. Witham, a nurseryman in Stockport, about the middle of last century. One of the most appreciated sorts for market purposes, as it is an almost certain annual cropper.

— E.A. Bunyard, A Handbook of Hardy Fruits (1920)

London Major London Mayor