Richard Cox (horticulturist)
Richard Cox | |
|---|---|
| Born | circa 1766 |
| Died | 1845-05-20 |
| Occupation(s) | Brewer, horticulturist |
| Known for | Creating the apple cultivars Cox's Orange Pippin and Cox's Pomona |
Richard Cox (circa 1766 – 20 May 1845) was an English brewer and horticulturist renowned for creating the apple cultivars known as Cox's Orange Pippin and Cox's Pomona.
Until 1820, Cox managed the Black Eagle Brewery located at 27 White's Grounds in Bermondsey, London. Upon retiring with his wife Ann, he relocated to The Lawns (later renamed Colnbrook Lawn) in Colnbrook, Slough, Buckinghamshire (currently part of Berkshire), England, dedicating himself to horticultural pursuits. This estate, spanning two acres, was situated near the former Bath Road (now High Street), approximately one mile west of the present-day Heathrow Airport.
In 1830, Cox sowed apple seeds in his orchard. After observing the favorable fruit produced by two seedlings, he supplied grafts to local nurseryman E. Small & Son in 1836. These grafts began being sold as trees by 1840. The apple varieties Cox's Orange Pippin and Cox's Pomona gained broader acclaim when Charles Turner of the Royal Nurseries in Slough featured them in his 1850 catalog. By 1883, Cox's Orange Pippin had established itself as one of England’s most favored apple types.
Cox passed away in 1845, prior to the commercial popularity of his apple varieties.
By 2007, Cox's Orange Pippin was cultivated worldwide and stood as the foremost apple variety in Britain, accounting for over half of UK orchard plantings and nearly 48% of sales. Following Cox’s death, ownership of the Black Eagle Brewery transferred to Noakes & Company and continued under various proprietors, including Courage Brewery, until ceasing operations in 1930.
The original tree of Cox's Orange Pippin succumbed to a storm in 1911; nonetheless, grafted progeny were still present as of 1933. The original site has since been developed into a residential block named The Lawns.
Richard Cox died at age 79 and is interred alongside his wife at St Mary's in Harmondsworth. A commemorative orchard near The Lawns cultivates Cox's Orange Pippin, Cox's Pomona, Ribston Pippin, and Blenheim Orange trees, accompanied by metal benches shaped into the letters C, O, and X.