When Britain ruled the (chocolate) world!
As two new exhibitions recall the early days of iconic chocolate brands Terry’s and Rowntree’s, we open the factory gates and peek inside…
Acity where the streets are paved, not in gold, but in chocolate, might sound like something out of the imagination of Roald Dahl. But in York, it was almost true. Home for decades to two of the biggest confectionery brands in the world, Terry’s and Rowntree’s, the streets of York were filled with the delicious smell of cocoa. Now 250 years on from the start of Terry’s, York pays tribute to its sugar-sweet history and its most famous sons, Joseph Terry and Joseph Rowntree, with two exhibitions.
Cold hands and lunchtime jives
Working in Terry’s or Rowntree’s was a novel experience, like the fictitious Willy Wonka from the famous story, these pioneering inventors did things that were out of the ordinary. For Joseph Terry this meant cleverly bringing together the world of medicine and confectionery to sell hardboiled sweets, chocolate assortments and throat lozenges (some containing opium!), drawing on his early experience as an apothecary. Officially starting in 1767, Terry’s always liked to innovate, making the most of York’s prime position at the centre of the North Eastern Railway to distribute to the world. A century later, in the 1860s, along came Joseph Rowntree with his own ideas about how a chocolate factory should be run, with practices that were almost unheard of at the time. He offered his employees pensions, bank holidays off, sick leave, healthcare and education, while factory workers enjoyed the luxuries of a ballroom, a library, swimming pools, banks and dentists. There were lunctime jive lessons and weekend trips to the flicks to look forward to. Workers could even live in the garden village he built in New Earswick, notably without any pubs, believing, as a Quaker, in the evils of drink. But at Rowntree’s, the one thing worse than alcohol
Rowntree’s merged with Nestlé in 1988 and while most of the production went abroad, six million Kit Kats are still made every day in York. Terry’s was taken over by Kraft in 1993 and the old factory is now a housing development.
was being caught red-faced with a stolen chocolate in your mouth! That didn’t mean, however, that workers couldn’t get their hands on the chocolate. Prospective packaging workers were tested for how warm their hands were – with the job involving packaging 48 boxes per hour and holding the chocolate to do it, hot fingers were a no-no.
More than just a chocolate-maker
Chocolate and philanthropy must go hand in hand, for both confectioners became as famous for their charitable spirit as their cocoa. While Joseph Terry was Lord Mayor of York four times, Joseph Rowntree set up a number of Trusts to bring about social reform which still continue today. When war came, decades later, both factories stepped up to help. Terry’s factory was converted to make aircrafts for the war effort, while Rowntree’s provided chocolate bars in a specially decorated tin from the Lord Mayor to soldiers on the front line. Many soldiers wrote what became known as ‘Chocolate Letters’ of thanks for the difference this little tin had made to them. Rowntree’s workers also sent off monthly collections to the troops and even took in the washing of soldiers stationed around the city.
250 years of terry’s is at the york’s Chocolate story until December. Call 01904 527765 or visit www.yorkschocolatestory.com Chocolate: york’s sweet Past opens at york Castle museum on april 1. Call 01904 687687 or visit www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk