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John Cripps

Born
John Ernest Lane Cripps

(1927-04-09)9 April 1927
Steyning, Sussex, England
Died 10 May 2022(2022-05-10) (aged 95)
Nationality British
Alma mater University of Reading
Employer Western Australia Department of Agriculture
Known for Breeding the Pink Lady ('Cripps Pink') and Sundowner ('Cripps Red') apples

John Ernest Lane Cripps was a British-Australian plant expert. He was born on April 9, 1927, and passed away on May 10, 2022. John Cripps is most famous for creating two very popular types of apples: the Pink Lady ('Cripps Pink') and the Sundowner ('Cripps Red').

Early Life and Career

John Cripps was born in Steyning, a town in Sussex, England. He studied plants and gardening at the University of Reading. This is where he learned all about how plants grow and how to improve them.

In 1955, John Cripps moved to Perth, Western Australia. He got a job offer from the Western Australia Department of Agriculture. This department helps farmers grow better crops.

Working with Plants

By 1959, John Cripps became a special plant expert for the department. He worked on finding the best ways to grow fruits and vegetables in Western Australia. He also studied "rootstocks," which are the parts of a plant's root system that help it grow strong. His goal was to make farming more successful.

Creating New Apples

John Cripps spent many years working on new kinds of apples. He wanted to create apples that tasted great and could grow well in Australia's climate. His hard work led to two very famous apples.

The Pink Lady Apple

The Pink Lady apple, also known as 'Cripps Pink', is one of his most well-known creations. It is a sweet and tart apple with a beautiful pink blush. It became popular all over the world.

The Sundowner Apple

He also created the Sundowner apple, known as 'Cripps Red'. This apple is also very tasty and was developed to grow well in warmer areas.

Awards and Recognition

John Cripps received several important awards for his work. These awards showed how much his efforts helped the farming world.

In 2010, he was added to the Hall of Fame by the Royal Agricultural Society of Western Australia. This was because he had a huge impact on Australia's apple industry.

In 2015, he was given a special honor called the Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). This award recognized his outstanding service to farming and food. It celebrated his new ideas and contributions that helped agriculture and the community.

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