Mr Carpenter’s Byfleet Seedling and Other Varieties of Apples

Published on: 27 Jul, 2025
Updated on: 27 Jul, 2025

By Mark Coxhead and David Rose, with additional information by Martin Keys

George Carpenter was head gardener at a large house called West Hall, between Byfleet and West Byfleet, when it was the home of the wealthy Stoop family.

George Carpenter 1855-1935.

In the early 1900s he propagated several varieties of apples. Possibly the most well known are the Byfleet Seedling and the self-named George Carpenter, both of which are available to grow today.

The National Apple Register of the United Kingdom, by Muriel W. G. Smith, lists the Byfleet Seedling as: “A large handsome cooking apple, primarily an exhibition and garden variety, general appearance like a Blenheim Brae”.

The Byfleet Seedling apple raised by George Carpenter in 1915, as listed by the UK National Apple Register.

Its parentage was with crossing Bramley’s Seedling with the pollen of Lane’s Prince Albert. George raised it at West Hall in 1915.

He was born at Chalton, north of Horndean, Hampshire, in 1855.

On the 1871 census he is listed at Chalton with his parents, Henry and Martha, and two siblings. Both he and his father gave their occupation as agricultural labourers.

The 1901 census lists him at West Hall Gardens in the parish of Byfleet, with his occupation given as “gardener (domestic)”.

George was now married to Alice (born 1856, Cambridgeshire). Presumably they lived in a cottage in the grounds.

He may have been the head gardener by this time as the next listing to him on the 1901 census is another property within West Hall with three “boarders” who gave their occupations as gardeners with their ages being 21, 24 and 32.

Other cottages listed within West Hall housed a number of estate workers.

George and Alice Carpenter’s listing on the 1911 census.

He and his wife’s listings on the 1911 census record them still at West Hall, but by this time he is listed as “head” gardener.

George is mentioned in the Woking News & Mail in March 1910 in a report of a meeting of the Pyrford Horticultural Society. It noted: “Mr Carpenter, gardener of West Hall, Byfleet, showed a charming selection of lilies, amaryllis and cyclamens.”

His name also appears several times in the newspaper’s report of the 1910 society’s summer show: Namely, the winner of the categories for ‘six distinct rose blooms’ and ‘group arrangement for effect’.

Picture postcard view of West Hall. Mark Coxhead collection.

His employer at West Hall was the Stoop family, whose surname is also synonymous with the name of the Twickenham Stoop Stadium, home of Harlequins rugby union club.

Also interested in the local history of this area is Martin Keys. He adds that from 1890 West Hall was the home of local benefactors Frederick Cornelius Stoop (1855-1933) and his wife Agnes McFarlane Stoop (1859-1935).

Frederick Cornelius Stoop and his wife Agnes McFarlane Stoop on the occasion of their golden wedding anniversary.

Frederick was from a Dutch family. He was involved in the financial side of the oil industry and was a leading light in the merger of the Shell and Royal Dutch oil companies into Royal Dutch Shell, in April 1907.

In 1898, Byfleet gained an impressive village hall, funded by the Stoops and they were involved in numerous other good works that included playing fields at both Byfleet and West Byfleet and a children’s home, latterly located at Pyrford.

Their eldest son, Adrian Dura Stoop (1883-1957), played rugby for Harlequins, appearing for them 182 times between 1901 and 1939. He also won 15 caps playing for England. He was president of the Harlequins’ club between 1920 and 1949 and the club’s ground was named The Stoop in his honour.

The George Carpenter apple raised by Gorge Carpenter in 1915, as listed by the UK National Apple Register.

The other apple varieties that George Carpenter propagated at West Hall include his namesake George Carpenter, raised in 1902, later acquired by nurserymen Brinkman Brothers, said to be “rather sweet and slightly aromatic”.

And… Victory, date of propagation not listed, flavour: “acid”.

Shoesmith, “a handsome cooking apple, primarily a garden and exhibition variety.” First exhibited in 1930, flavour: “subacid”.

Comrade, believed to have been raised by George Carpenter in about 1913. Flavour: “sweet to subacid”.

Picture postcard view of St Mary’s Church, Byfleet.

George Carpenter died aged 80 on October 18, 1935. His death record lists he was of West Cottage Byfleet. He was buried on October 22, 1935, in the churchyard of St Mary’s in Byfleet.

Both the Surrey Advertiser and the Woking News & Mail published lengthy obituaries of George Carpenter.

The Woking newspaper noting: “The horticultural community in Surrey is saddened by the passing of Mr George Carpenter of West Cottage, Byfleet, who died peacefully at his home last Friday after a brief illness. Aged 80, Mr Carpenter had remained active in his passion for gardening, most recently serving as a judge at the West Horsley Show earlier this month. His condition deteriorated suddenly at the beginning of the week.”

It added that he had been head gardener at West Hall for 38 years and had retired only two years previously.

Also noting, George began his career on Lady Dorothy Neville’s estate in Petersfield, then to Burhill, Walton-on-Thames, and a brief stint with a specialist chrysanthemum firm in Camberwell, before settling in Byfleet at Broadoaks, where he remained for seven years.

George and Alice Carpenter’s grave’s at St Mary’s Churchyard, Byfleet.

The obituary added that he: “…competed at major horticultural shows across the country, earning numerous accolades. His most celebrated achievement was receiving the Royal Horticultural Society’s prestigious gold medal for his display featuring 100 varieties of apples. In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded lifetime membership of the society,” noting: “Mr Carpenter was known for raising and naming several varieties of chrysanthemums, carnations, roses, and apples.”

The headstone of George and Alice Carpenter.

Of his personal life, the obituary included: “Mr Carpenter was a founding member of the Byfleet Village Club and served on its first committee, later being named a vice-president. In his younger years, he was an accomplished cricketer and later a keen bowler, often seen at the Byfleet Bowling Club. His dedication to the community extended to the Church, where he was both a sidesman and chorister at St Mary’s Parish Church, as well as a member of the Church Council.”

Details of the inscription on the headstone. Byfleet Heritage Society’s website.

George Carpenter has certainly not been forgotten in Byfleet and West Byfleet. Today West Hall is a care home and in November 2018, to mark the end of hostilities of the First World War, a Byfleet Seedling sapling was planted in the grounds “in remembrance of all the brave souls both abroad and at home”.

In March 2024, at West Byfleet Junior School, four saplings of George Carpenter’s varieties were planted in the school grounds.

These comprised two varieties of George Carpenter and one each of Victory and Byfleet Seedling. They were donated by RHS Wisley to the West Byfleet Community Gardening Group, who donated them to the school.