It is 100 years since the first National Exhibition of Apples was staged by the British Horticultural Society in its garden at Chiswick. the centenary of this exhibition was held on 1st – 3rd November at the Royal Horticultural Society’s New Hall, Greatcoat Street in London.
More than 1,500 varieties were gathered for the Victorian show which took just three weeks to organise. The situation today is not so prolific but the Royal Horticultural Society still grows more than 750 varities at its garden in Wisbech and 200 types of apple were on exhibition at the 1983 Apple & Pear exhibition this month.
Among the exhibits was one of Southwell’s main claims to fame, the Bramley Seedling. Mrs Celia Stevens is pictured with an apple from the original Bramley Seedling tree.
Extract from The Bramley November 1983