Introducing the Terry Family

Terry Family Tree

Key family members

In 1823, Joseph Terry Senior (1791-1856) married Harriet Atkinson and proceeded to go into the confectionary business with Robert Berry. Together they had Joseph Terry Junior (1828-1898).

Joseph Terry (Sir Joseph Terry from 1887) married Frances Goddard in 1864 and had three children: Thomas Walker Leaper, Joseph Richard, and Samuel Saville. After Frances passed, Sir Joseph got remarried to Margaret Thorpe. With Margaret, Joseph had four more children: Frances Harriet, Ada Marie, Josephine Margaret, and Francis William. He was responsible for turning the business into a limited company in 1895 as Joseph Terry & Sons Ltd.

Sir Francis Terry (1877-1960) son of Sir Joseph Terry and his second wife Margaret Thorpe. Sir Francis was a central figure in the company for much of the 20th century, and was knighted in 1936.

Thomas Terry joined the family business and married Sarah Marie Brett in 1884. Thomas and Sarah had four children: Joseph Edward 'Harold', Frances Mia Muriel, Neville William, Noel Goddard, and Kathleen 'Betsy'.

Harold and Noel would both marry into the family of industrialist and family friend Henry Ernest Leetham, with Harold marrying Constance Leetham, and Noel marrying her younger sister Kathleen. Both marriages took place in 1915.

Black and white photograph showing Noel Terry sitting at a desk. He is pictured in his younger years, and is wearing a dark suit, white shirt and tie, and has his legs crossed. His left elbow is resting on two stacked books on the desk, with his head resting on his hand.

Black and white studio portrait photograph of Noel Terry around the time of his retirement. He is wearing a dark suit, dark tie with light spots and white shirt, and is seating facing towards the right of the photograph, with his face turned towards the photographer. His hair is white and thinning.

Black and white studio portrait photograph of Noel Terry in middle age. He is wearing a dark suit, dark tie with light spots and white shirt, and is seating facing towards the left of the photograph, with his face turned towards the photographer.

View a photo gallery of archives relating to Noel

Noel Goddard Terry

(1889-1980)

Noel Terry was the great-grandson of Joseph Terry Senior, and the nephew of Sir Joseph Terry Junior.

Noel was born on 20 December 1889 to Thomas and Sarah Terry. He was one of five children alongside siblings Joseph Edward 'Harold', Frances, Neville, and Kathleen 'Betsy', and grew up at 'Trentholme', a property on The Mount in York. Thomas sadly passed away from injuries sustained from a cycling accident when Noel was ten years old.

Noel worked first in the banking industry before joining the family business at Terry's in 1911. His career was interrupted, however, with the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. In 1915, he married Kathleen Leetham, the daughter of a local industrialist. The following year Noel was commissioned into the 5th West Yorkshire Regiment. His service was cut short when he was wounded in the thigh during the Battle of Somme later that year.

Upon his return home, he returned to work at Terry's. He was appointed Managing Director in 1923, and then Chairman in 1963 - a position he held until his retirement in 1970.

Though exceedingly private, Noel's love for the city of York was expressed by his involvement in various societies and organizations including York Civic Trust, Fairfax House and the Company of Merchant Adventurers of the City of York. He died in 1980, three months after the death of Kathleen.

Black and white studio portrait of Kathleen Leetham as a young woman. She is seated towards the right of the photograph, facing left, with her head pointed towards the photographer. She has styled her dark hair in a centre parting, and is wearing a light coloured short-sleeved dress with a low neckline and dark trim, with thin bows at the front and at the ends of the sleeves. She is also wearing a thing necklace around her neck, and bracelets at her wrists.

Black and white photograph of Kathleen Terry, possibly at the time Noel Terry retired from the business. The photograph shows her head and shoulders, and she is seated pointing to the right of the photograph, with her head turned towards the photographer. She is wearing her short hair in a side parting, and her hair is starting to go grey. He is wearing a patterned top or dress with a V-style neckline, in a combination of light and dark colours. Around her neck is a single strand of pearls.

Explore Noel and Kathleen's love story

Kathleen Terry

(1892-1980)

Kathleen was the daughter of York businessman and flour miller Henry Ernest Leetham and his wife Mary Hannah Coning. She grew up at 'Aldersyde' on Tadcaster Road, York, alongside her sisters Constance and Ethel.

Her sister Constance married Noel's eldest brother Joseph Edward 'Harold' Terry, an actor. Kathleen met Noel in 1910 when he was 20 and she 17. Despite her sister's relationship with Harold Terry, her father prohibited Kathleen from being in a relationship with Noel, so their courtship was of a secret nature in which they communicated through secret love letters.

Henry must have eventually approved of the union as they were married in 1915, the same year Constance married Harold. Together they had four children: Peter, Kenneth, Betty, and Richard.

Noel and Kathleen famously built Goddards, an Arts and Crafts-style family home in the Dringhouses suburb of York. The property was built between their two childhood homes. Kathleen died in 1980, just three months before her husband.

Black and white head and shoulders photograph of Peter Terry as a young adult. He is wearing a dark suit, striped tie and checked shirt with a plain white collar. He is staring at the photographer with his eyes open, and has his light hair in a side parting. There are two stamps visible in the bottom sections of the photograph, which suggests this could be a passport photograph.

Black and white photograph of Peter Terry as a young man, pictured standing in the gardens at Goddards. The photograph shows him in three-quarter length, with a checked sports jacket, checked waistcoat, checked tie and shirt, with light-coloured trousers. He is standing with his hands in his pockets, and his hair is in a side parting.

Peter Noel Leetham Terry

(1919-2006)

Peter Terry was born on 5 January 1919, the first son of Noel Goddard Terry and his wife Kathleen. A keen sportsman, Peter initially attended Bramcote School in Scarborough, then went to Marlborough College in 1932. He began playing first team cricket for Marlborough College in 1935. He also later played squash and hockey for Yorkshire, as well as golf and tennis. In 1937, he visited Germany as part of an English cricketing side, which had been invited to play a German team. He also played for Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). He later went to study law at University of Cambridge.

During the Second World War Peter spent much of his time as a training instructor at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire. When the war ended in 1945, Peter joined the family firm, Terry’s of York, later becoming Deputy Managing Director. Three years later, on 12 November 1948, he married Carine Elisabeth Scholander of Jansberg, Sweden. Together they had six sons and a daughter.

Peter Terry also served as High Sheriff of York from 1980-1981. In 1982, when United Biscuits took over Terry’s of York from Colgate Palmolive, Peter was made President of Terry’s for life. He continued in the business as a consultant until his retirement in 1985.

Following his retirement, Peter remained active in public life, as Chair of the Noel Terry Charitable Trust (originally founded by his father) and in York Civic Trust. He also served on the committee of Fairfax House, York, which received his father’s furniture and clock collection.

Peter died in Easingwold on 1 February 2006.

Black and white head and shoulders photograph of Kenneth Terry in his teenage years, pictured in the gardens of Goddards. His light coloured hair is in a side parting, and he is pictured wearing a thick wool jacket, V-neck jumper, striped tie and shirt.

Black and white full-length photograph of Kenneth Terry in his RAF uniform. He is pictured in the gardens of Goddards, with a water feature behind where he is standing. He is facing to the left of the image and not looking at the photographer. Part of the house can be seen in the background.

Black and white studio portrait photograph of Kenneth Terry in his RAF uniform, including his hat and jacket. He is also wearing a shirt and tie, and both his jacket and hat have embroidered RAF insignia.

Kenneth Thomas Peart Terry

(1920-1944)

Kenneth Thomas Peart Terry was born in 1920, the second son of Noel and Kathleen. When Kenneth was seven, the family moved into Goddards, a purpose-built family home on Tadcaster Road, York. Educated initially at Bramcote School, Scarborough, he later attended Marlborough College.

Kenneth developed a love of aircraft, and used to drive out to nearby airfields to watch the planes with his sister Betty. When the Second World War broke out, Kenneth joined the RAF. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1942, and was promoted to Squadron Leader in 1943.

Kenneth was killed in a flying accident on 26 April 1944, when his plane crashed into the sea at Cardigan Bay, Wales. He was buried in Dringhouses Cemetery just outside York, near the family home, and is commemorated on the local war memorial. His family were devastated and donated an inscribed lectern in Kenneth’s memory to York Minster choir.

View a photo gallery of archives relating to Kenneth

Black and white photograph of Betty Terry as a older teenager. She is pictured seated in a garden, and is sitting next to a dark-coloured terrier-style dog. She is wearing a long dress with a large collar and short sleeves, and has a watch on her left wrist.

Black and white photograph of the wedding of Betty Terry and Harold Adrian Lawrie, taken from a newspaper. The photograph is taken outside, possibly at Dringhouses church, and shows the couple in the middle of the image. Next to Harold Lawrie is Peter Terry, the best man, and both men are in dark suits. There are then four bridesmaids in light colour dresses, two on each side of the image. All four bridesmaids and the bride are carrying large bouquets almost stretching to the ground.

Black and white portrait photograph of Betty Lawrie as a young woman. The photograph shows her head and shoulders, and she is seated pointing to the right of the photograph. She is wearing a dark coloured dress with a small decorated collar, and a brooch at the neck.

Betty Mavis Terry Lawrie

(1924-2021)

Betty Terry was born on 31 December 1924, the only daughter of Noel and Kathleen.

In 1927 Betty moved with the rest of her family from their previous home, The Beeches (now Curzon Lodge) to their new purpose-built Arts and Crafts style home, Goddards, designed by renowned York architect Walter Brierley and with a garden designed by George Dillistone.

Betty was an adventurous child, and remembered looking after a menagerie of animals, sleeping outside under the stars, and speeding up the driveway in her father’s Daimler car with her brother Kenneth.

During the Second World War Betty was sent to Bletchley Park, where she worked as a control supervisor intercepting enemy wireless networks.

She married Harold Adrian Lawrie at Dringhouses in 1948.

Betty died on 29 May 2021 at Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, at the age of 97.

You can learn more about Betty's wartime work through the Bletchley Park 'Roll of Honour' project.

Black and white photograph of Richard Terry as a boy. He is pictured lying in a field of grasses, partly on his side, with his left knee and head raised. He is wearing a suit and round glasses, and is holding a plate in his right hand. In his left hand he appears to be holding a sandwich.

Black and white studio portrait photograph of Richard Terry as a young adult. The photograph shows his head and shoulders, and he is seated pointing towards the right of the photograph. He is wearing a dark suit, possibly made of tweed, a patterned dark tie and white shirt. He is also wearing glasses with dark frames.

Black and white studio portrait photograph of Richard Terry. The photograph shows his head and shoulders, and he is seated pointing towards the right of the photograph, with his face pointing towards the camera. He is wearing a dark suit with thin stripes, a patterned dark tie and light coloured striped shirt. He is also wearing glasses with dark frames.

Richard Ernest Terry

(1928-1984)

Richard Terry was born on 9 December 1928, the youngest child of Noel and Kathleen Terry.

Educated at Bramcote School, Scarborough, he later attended Marlborough College and was conscripted into the army in 1947.

Richard later found himself in India, and liked the country so much that he returned to work on a tea plantation in the country until around 1953. On his return to England he attended Askham Bryan Agricultural College, and bought two farms not far from York.

Richard died in April 1984, aged 55. He is buried in Dringhouses Cemetery.

See Richard's photos

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