There was a demand to have gooseberry-type fruits on thornless plants, and the first successful attempt to cross blackcurrant (R. nigrum) with European gooseberry (R. uva-crispa) was carried out by William Culverwell in Yorkshire, England in 1880.
There was a need to have thornless plants bearing gooseberry-like fruits, and William Culverwell successfully crossed blackcurrant (R. nigrum) with European gooseberry (R. uva-crispa) in 1880 in Yorkshire, England.