Cambridgeshire has a long tradition of fruit-growing, including extensive apple orchards, and the Chivers family started a highly successful jam-making factory at Histon near Cambridge in the late 19th century, using fruit from nearby orchards. The Chivers brand is now part of Premier Foods, and jam production still continues at Histon.
In the 1920s one of the family, Stephen Chivers, started to develop his own apple varieties, of which Chivers' Delight was the most successful. Unfortunately there is little information on the parentage of this lovely apple, although the flattened shape and sweet flavour hint at Cox's Orange Pippin.
Chivers' Delight was popular in the first half of the 20th century but has since fallen out of favour. It is a medium-sized apple, crisp, with a sweet but well-balanced flavour. Definitely worth trying if you manage to find any - this is an excellent apple.
The identification paintings in the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection span the years 1886 to 1942.
Citation: U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection. Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705.
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The following tree nurseries offer Chivers Delight apple trees for sale:
The following orchards grow Chivers Delight:
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