Teffany Fyfe


Company

F Tooke & Son

Location

West Lynn, Norfolk

About

At the turn of the last century William Tooke had a few small orchards in the Wisbech area growing apples, pears, plums and gooseberries and asparagus. He died when his son Fred was 14 years old and, with the help of an uncle, Fred continued running the enterprise. In 1917 his good friend Charles Hopkin, who was also a fruit grower, was called up for service in WW1. Charles asked Fred to keep an eye on his stepmother should he not return from the war. Charles died just 39 days before the end of the war, and he left Fred half of his estate on the death of his mother. On the strength of the legacy of Charles Hopkin’s will, Fred was able to borrow the money to buy the farm and move there in 1935. In 1941 the neighbouring farm was also purchased. After WW2, Fred’s son Arthur joined the partnership. Tim, the fourth generation to work the farm, started in 1959. The fifth generation, Toby, joined the firm in 1996 and in 2016 Teffany, also fifth generation, joined the business. The farm now boasts 120 acres of Bramley, Conference, Cox and Jonagold with 2000 tonnes of fruit storage