York Castle Museum shares memories of confectionery workers

FROM Terry’s Chocolate Orange to the famous KitKat, the sweet treats that came out of York’s confectionery factories are the stuff of mouth-watering memories and guilty pleasures.

Now you can delve deep into the history of the industry and hear from those whose day job seemed to be sugar, spice and all things nice. But was it really?

The famous landmark chocolate factory of Terrys of York. Pic NIGEL HOLLAND.

York Castle Museum’s exhibition, Sugar, Skill and Shiftwork: York’s Confectionery Workers, delves into the lives and stories of the people who lived and worked in York during its sweet-producing heyday.

York became home to confectionery giants Terry’s, Rowntree’s, and Craven’s throughout the 19th century, and by the mid-20th century the city was a hub for the confectionery community, manufacturing and distributing products on a global scale.

Workers making sweets at Craven’s in the 1970s. Image: York Castle Museum

Sugar, Skill and Shiftwork has been curated in collaboration with the public to reveal what life was like for workers and those living in York during this time.

The exhibition guides visitors through the history of confectionery in York, and other areas of working life. Nostalgia is a key theme throughout, with household favourites such as Terry’s Chocolate Orange and KitKat sporting retro wrappers and packaging, reminding visitors of childhood treats.

The real stories behind York’s confectionery industry are revealed in an exhibition at the York Castle Museum.

Workers items, uniforms, images, film and oral history create five themed rooms exploring York’s confectionery industries. The exhibition has been supported by York Oral History Society who have generously allowed access to their archives, allowing workers voices to be heard in the museum.

The exhibition is located in the Community Corridor of York Castle Museum and is included in general admission tickets to York Castle Museum, which are valid for 12-months.

Sugar, Skill and Shiftwork runs until September 2026, find out more at yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk

Share your memories

DID you work at any of York’s confectionery factories?

We’d love to know your memories and see your old photos.

Share your memories in our online nostalgia group on Facebook, Why We Love York – Memories. It is free to join and you will find us at www.facebook.com/groups/yorknostalgia/ – click here to get started!

If you have a nostalgia story for us, you can also contact us on email – write to our Community Content Editor, Maxine Gordon at: maxine.gordon@thepress.co.uk.