Pomologists have recorded that the apples are immediate antecedents of well-known cultivars Bramley’s Seedling, Annie Elizabeth and Newton Wonder.

The apple tree family was revealed to a panel of experts at the University of Reading, including Dr Matt Ordidge, curator of the National Fruit Collection, which proved that ancient root stock has travelled the world.

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The team were told an amazing story involving people from farmers to traders, emigrants to Australia and soldiers to Kashmir, the RHS, pomologists here and in the USA, the use of DNA and some luck and hard work.

Stephen Ainsleigh of the Marcher Apple Network MAN the charity which works to revive old varieties of apples and pears said the revelation was nothing short of “astonishing.”

There were fears that Rymer, known in fruit literature from 1822 onwards was lost and living trees continued to escape detection. Grafts were taken of possible stock and the young trees conserved by MAN which essentially finger printed the trees.

However, in New South Wales, Australia, some catalogues from 1843 onwards indicated that Rymer had been taken there, grown and replanted through the years and trees of that name were still known at a farm near Braidwood in New South Wales (NSW).

That was discovered due in part to newspaper reports.

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Crucially dried leaves from the trees’ leaves were sent in 2025 to the UK and DNA-tested and found to be a match.

It is also now known that Rymer was introduced to Kashmir in India, likely by British Officers, as part of the efforts to enhance crop production.

All in all it is a thrill to the apple community.

For the pomologists thanks to detailed analysis along with DNA, it is now unequivocal that Rymer paired with Northern Greening are the parents of the well-regarded varieties ‘Annie Elizabeth’ and ‘Newton Wonder’. Moreover, both Rymer and Northern Greening are either a parent or grandparent(s) of the much-loved ‘Bramley’s Seedling’.