Victorian author Robert Hogg recounts details he gathered about the origins of this variety from its original grower, John Perkins, the gardener to Lord Henniker, who raised it from seed in the 1840s. This technique serves as a valuable method for anyone wishing to develop their own apple variety.
 
Perkins began by planting "several bushels of apple pips", which were a by-product of cider production. He then selected the most promising seedlings, removing the rest, and repeated this process over several years, until only the best varieties remained.
 
Although highly regarded in Victorian times for its heavy cropping and reliability, it is no longer widely cultivated today.