The Terry Family Archive

In 2023 we were delighted to acquire the Terry Family Archive, relating to the family behind the Terry's of York confectionery business. The archive includes letters, photographs, newspaper cuttings, postcards, legal papers and much more, documenting the lives of the family between the 1840s and the 1990s. Previously assumed lost, and actually held by family members, the archive provides researchers with a unique opportunity to learn more about the people behind the business most famous for the brands Chocolate Orange and All Gold.

The archive complements the Terry's of York company archives, which were transferred to us following the closure of the factory in 2005, as well as the archives of Rowntree & Co and the Rowntree family which are also held at the Borthwick.

We were delighted to be able safeguard the collection for the future, and will be looking at funding opportunities over the coming months to allow us to fully catalogue the archive to international standards. In the meantime, you can access the collection in its current uncatalogued state through our public searchroom.

This microsite is the work of Alicia Shook, MA student from the University of York's Institute of Public Understanding of the Past (IPUP). We are indebted to Alicia for the research and design work she has undertaken to showcase the archives.