York Castle Museum to open new exhibition on chocolate past

York Castle Museum has announced a community-led display titled Sugar, Skill and Shiftwork: York’s Confectionery Workers, which will open on Friday, September 26, 2025 and will run until September 2026.

The exhibition explores the lives of factory workers from the city’s iconic sweet-making era and has been developed in collaboration with members of the public who contributed personal stories, objects, and memories.

Workers making sweets at Craven's in the 1970s © M.A. Craven & Son (Image: York Castle Museum)

Philip Newton, community participation manager at York Museums Trust, said: "We are indebted to the public for their support in putting this exhibition together.

"With generous loans of objects such as Long Service Certificates, diaries, ID Cards, and images, the exhibition builds a picture of the daily lives of those who worked in the confectionery industry.

"It has granted a unique opportunity to hear people’s stories of their time, or family members' time in the factories.

Worker's at a machine rolling out confectionery ingredients at Terry's in 1950 © York Museums Trust (Image: York Castle Museum)

"These first-hand accounts have formed a large part of the exhibition content and demonstrate how central these confectionery organisations were in shaping the lives of the local community.

"We are very grateful to York Oral History Society for sharing their archive with us.

"Thanks to their support, visitors will be able to hear past voices as well as those who are still with us today.

Workers making Golden Humbugs at Craven's in the 1970s, © M.A. Craven & Son (Image: York Castle Museum)

"Community exhibitions are vitally important for understanding our shared heritage and preserving local memory."

York was once home to major confectionery companies, including Terry’s, Rowntree’s, and Craven’s, and by the mid-20th century had become a global centre for sweet production.

The exhibition aims to capture what life was like for workers and residents during this period.

Worker examining cacao beans for Terry’s in 1950. © York Museums Trust (Image: York Castle Museum)

Visitors will be taken on a journey through York’s confectionery history and wider working culture, with a strong focus on nostalgia.

The display features retro packaging from iconic products such as Terry’s Chocolate Orange and KitKat, alongside personal items and stories donated by former workers and their families.

Organised into five themed rooms, the exhibition showcases uniforms, photographs, films, and audio recordings to bring the era to life.

Worker’s at the Terry's factory at a machine which rolls marzipan thin, stamping out discs for use in All Gold chocolate assortment in 1950, © York Museums Trust (Image: York Castle Museum)

York Oral History Society has contributed archive material, enabling visitors to hear directly from people who worked in the factories.

The exhibition is housed in the Community Corridor at York Castle Museum and entry is included with a general admission ticket, which is valid for 12 months.

The exhibition promises to offer a fresh perspective on York’s industrial past, shaped by the voices and memories of those who lived it.