THE decision is final; the US suits have spoken. Kraft Food bosses, untouched by history, unmoved by argument, have announced they are to take Terry's out of York. But they will never take York out of Terry's.

As a mark of respect to the factory and all its workers down the generations, this week we look back to Terry's finest hour.

With a 200-year lifespan, the company has had many memorable moments. But the one we have alighted on is Tuesday, October 19, 1937: the day royalty came to call.

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited the works as part of a tour of Yorkshire. It was the first official visit to York by a crowned monarch for three centuries, and was eagerly awaited, as was made clear by the Evening Press leader comment on the eve of their arrival in York.

"Tomorrow, York will turn out to a man, so we believe, to welcome the King and Queen as they pass through the streets of their own city," it began, under the headline "God Bless Their Majesties!"

"For what other city in his wide dominions is there that can be so near to his heart, so near, that is, to the heart of one who served the nation in many spheres as Duke of York?

"Although unlike our sentimental forebears, and our easily moved friends across the sea, we hard-headed Yorkshire men and women may not feel constrained to strew the royal path with white roses; in other and sincerer ways we will show our loyalty and affection."

White roses aside, York did put on a fine floral display. The corporation parks department created displays of autumn flowers, including chrysanthemums, Michaelmas daisies, geraniums, salvias and primuli. Boxes of the blooms were placed on the Mansion House window ledges and around Coney Street and St Helen's Square.

Meanwhile the factory of Joseph Terry and Sons Ltd was transformed by a lavish display of festoons, streamers and flags. On the day itself, crowds began to gather at 11am, four hours before the royal train was due to pull into York station.

Fortunately the sun was shining.

About 3,500 elementary school children lined Knavesmire Road and 1,500 secondary school children were positioned in front of Clifford's Tower. When the royal party arrived, the children led the deafening cheers.

At the station, the King and Queen were met by the Princess Royal, the King's sister, and Lord Harewood. The Home Secretary, Sir Samuel Hoare, accompanied them.

On their journey to Terry's, the crowds shouted: "God Save The King!"

As the King and Queen arrived at the factory, children from the Blue Coat and Grey Coat Schools formed a guard of honour on either side of the road at the entrance gates.

"The children are enjoying a week's holiday and there was a real holiday spirit about the welcome they gave to their King and Queen," the Evening Press reported that night.

"Most of them had small Union Jacks and the waving of the hundreds of these make a striking scene as the Royal car passed slowly across Knavesmire."

The children were in their traditional uniform - blue trousers and blue cut-away coats with gold braid and old fashioned tabs for the boys; grey bonnets, tippets and aprons for the girls.

"Here was contrasted modernity and the ancient life of the city," the Press noted.

"A modern factory welcoming a King and Queen with its employees in white uniforms - typical of the modern idea of health and cleanliness. A few yards away a reminder of York's past."

At the factory, the royal party was introduced to the chairman and managing director of Terry's, Sir Francis Terry.

On their tour of the works, the visitors asked many questions. The Queen frequently stopped to talk to the girls in charge of the high speed machines.

After watching how cream centres were made, the VIPs saw an example of modern technology in action: a machine that covered 300 centres a minute.

The Queen was impressed. She remarked to the girl operating the machine: "I suppose this speed is not too fast for you."

The party were equally taken by the next part of their tour, according to the Evening Press report. "The nimble-fingered girls in the packing room, where 500 girls work in an air-conditioned atmosphere in which the temperature is constantly kept at 65 degrees, attracted the attention of the King and Queen as they walked slowly through the long room which is half the length and half the beam of the liner Queen Mary, and they commented on the accuracy and skill with which the girls worked.

"If the royal visit to this department had been paid an hour or so earlier, their majesties would have been able to hear the girls singing, for it is in the packing room that the girls sing for half an hour both morning and afternoon."

Later the Queen watched a Neopolitan machine which could put wax paper, a wrapper and tin foil round chocolates at the rate of 72 a minute.

Raw materials used in chocolate production were laid out on stalls, and these raised questions.

"The Queen spent several minutes asking questions about the various nuts and coffee beans on show and inquired whether the present situation in Spain had affected the import of almonds and whether the British Empire was producing any.

"She was told that South Africa was making an attempt to produce them."

The best was yet to come.

Miss Beatrice Weaver, an employee of 13 years, presented the Queen with a magnificent box of chocolates, bearing the York Coat of Arms.

The Princess Royal received a similar box from Miss Lilian Shepherd.

Each box weighed about eight pounds, and Terry's was planning to send the same to the two princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret Rose.

The size of the crowds for the royal visit caused the odd problem in York. Both an ambulance and a fire engine, heading to separate emergency calls, were delayed.

And the Evening Press was hit too, as Mr Nobody's Diary recalled the day after the visit.

Readers may not have realised the River Ouse "was instrumental in bringing them their 'Press' last evening," Mr Nobody wrote.

"Because of the vast crowd in Coney Street awaiting the King and Queen, our publishing department had to devise means of getting the parcels to York Station other than by car.

"Then came a brainwave. Why not row the parcels across the Ouse to a van waiting in a side-turning off North Street?

This plan was carried into effect without a hitch."

Terry's later produced a souvenir booklet commemorating the royal visit. This gave a snapshot of the company in 1937.

Then, it employed more than 2,500 people. Basic rates of pay were 56 shillings for a 47 hour week for men and 30 shillings and sixpence for women.

The royal tour was "a very happy visit," the booklet proclaimed. The King and Queen "probably formed the impression that, with the cleanliness and air conditioning, a confectionery factory worker has a healthy occupation and a very definite advantage over fellows in many other industries.

"And throughout their tour their majesties left many memories and a feeling that they are well versed in the enjoyment of chocolate."

Updated: 09:37 Monday, June 28, 2004