Terry's of York

Terry's was a British chocolate and confectionery maker based in York, England. It was founded in 1767 and in 1993 it was taken over by Kraft Foods. The company's headquarters, later renamed The Chocolate Works factory, was closed by Kraft in 2005; products using the Terry's brand name are now produced in Kraft facilities in Poland, Sweden, Belgium, and Slovakia. The Terry's name eventually became part of Mondelēz International. Their best known products include Terry's Chocolate Orange (1931), and Terry's All Gold box of assorted chocolates, which was also introduced in the 1930s.

The business began in 1767 as a shop close to Bootham Bar, York, selling cough lozenges, lemon and orange candied peel, and other sweets. When Robert Berry formed a partnership with William Bayldon the firm took the name Bayldon and Berry and by 1818 the business had moved to St Helen’s Square, York.

Joseph Terry, who was born in Pocklington in 1793, went to York to serve as an apprentice apothecary in either Stonegate or Spurriergate. On gaining his certificates, he set up as a chemist, firstly ‘opposite the castle’ before moving to Walmgate. In 1823 he married Harriet Aktinson, who was either a niece or sister-in-law or Robert Berry and after closing his chemist shop he joined the Berry confectionary business, from which William Bayldon had retired in 1821.

In 1825, after the death of Robert Berry, Terry agreed to a new partnership with George Berry; they renamed the business Terry & Berry. The partnership was joined by John Coultherd, but in 1828 George left and the business was renamed Joseph Terry and Company. Two year later Coultherd also left and Terry became to sole owner of the business.

Using the skills he learnt as a chemist, Joseph developed new lines of chocolate, confectionery, sugared sweets, candied peel, marmalade, and medicated lozenges. He began using the developing railway network of the North Eastern Railway to distribute his products in the North of England and in London.