Berwick Fruit

Berwick Fruit co-operative apple warehouse, largest apple warehouse in the Maritimes, 1935

Berwick Fruit Limited was an important apple co-operative created by a group of farmers around Berwick in 1907 to avoid exploitation by apple brokers, shippers and agents who took much of the export profit from famers. It was the first fruit co-op in Nova Scotia and enjoyed success in getting better prices and more control over grower's apples, which quickly led to the creation of other apple co-ops across the Annapolis Valley. Berwick Fruit first leased and then purchased a warehouse owned by A.S Magee on the south side of the DAR. This warehouse burned on February 12, 1923. It was quickly replaced by a much larger brick tile warehouse built by J. H. Hicks & Sons. The new building was three stories high, 60 feet wide and 262 feet long and was the largest fruit warehouse in the Maritimes. Membership grew to 50 farmers and the warehouse was converted to cold storage 1933. The co-op expanded, buying up surrounding buildings. The Hutchinson Mill was acquired as a cooperage and storage building and a worker's boarding house was converted from an old vinegar plant. In 1968, a large extension was added to the east of the warehouse creating a long brick complex facing the Berwick Station. The Berwick Fruit co-op lasted until 1981 when it was forced to close due to high interest rates, rising wages and declining sales. The building was first purchased by the Joudreys and then by Stirlings. An HO scale model of the Berwick Fruit warehouse made by model-maker Jim Taylor depicts the warehouse as it appeared in 1931 and can be seen at Berwick Apple Capital Museum.

Gallery

The first Berwick co-operative apple warehouse, featured in Farmer's Magazine, January-December 1915.
Warehouse staff of the Berwick Fruit warehouse, circa 1910-1915,
"Berwick, showing Berwick Fruit; S. B. Chute Front St,, Hutchinson Mill, Berwick Station, H.C Mosher, and the S.B. Chute Mill St. warehouses, 1919.
Weekly Monitor newspaper article on contract for J. H. Hicks & Sons to build a new apple warehouse for the Berwick Fruit Company, May 9, 1923.
Berwick railyard looking west with Berwick Fruit on the left across from the Berwick Station, 1931.
The Berwick Fruit warehouse, 1935.
Berwick Fire Insurance Map, showing the Berwick Fruit buildings, 1938.
Berwick, looking east with station just demolished on left and Berwick Fruit on right, 1975.
VIA Berwick shelter, with Berwick Fruit warehouse in background, April 1986.
Residents of Berwick gather to witness the last westbound passenger train at the at the Berwick Station, with Berwick Fruit] to the left, January 14, 1990.