Terry's Confectionery was once a major employer in York. The company had a long and interesting history.
It's origins go back to 1767 when Robert Berry opened a shop close to Bootham Bar, York, selling cough lozenges, lemon and orange candied peel, and other sweets. Later, a member of the Terry family became invilved, and eventually the Terry family took over the business.
The Bishopthorpe Road factory was opened in 1926, and a variety of new products were developed - including the Chocolate Apple (1926), Terry's Chocolate Orange (1931), and Terry's All Gold, which were all developed and produced on site.
With the onset of the Second World War, confectionery production was immediately halted. The factory was taken over by F. Hills and Sons of Manchester as a shadow factory to manufacture and repair aircraft propeller blades.
After the war confectionary production restarted. Terry's eventually lost it's independence. It was owned by a number of different companies. By 2004 Kraft owned the business, and they decided to close the York factory and move production to other European factories, so the site was left empty for several years.
Redevelopment of the site is now underway, with a mixture of residential, commercial and leisure facilities. A small garden commemorates the history of the site, and the centrepiece is this unusual fountain, designed to look like a Terry's Chocolate Orange.
Now all I need to do is find a real chocolate orange this size - that would make me happy!
Fab sculpture - I've never seen it before but do enjoythe chocolate smell that sometimes covers town (though sometimes it smells a little burned...). I think I hear dsome of the site was being used for sports facilities for YSJ?
You would have enough to share with us, Ian, if you manage to find one, haha. Thank you for the story which is very interesting. The sculpture is very original and very nicely captured.
Thank you all for your lovely comments and favs, they are appreciated.
Good to see that there are a few chocolate lovers among you - sadly the idea of a chocolate orange this size is only a dream!
Ian
Well Babs, good to see that romance is alive and well!
Ian
This is just off Campleshon Road, beside a new road (Clock Tower Way) into the site.
Ian