Factory History
“A little grocer’s shop opened more
than 200 years ago by a woman in defiance of a powerful
trade guild formed the foundation of one of the world’s
largest chocolate and cocoa manufacturing businesses.”
Cocoa Works Magazine, Christmas 1932, p.862.
The story of Rowntrees usually begins with Mary Tuke,
a Quaker woman who opened her own grocer's shop, defying
the rules of the men-only trade guild. It was this shop
which was eventually taken over by Henry Isaac Rowntree,
founder of the first Rowntree factory at Tanner's Moat
in 1864.
From these early days, women as young as thirteen were
employed at the factory. A 'lady welfare supervisor'
was appointed in 1891 to look after female workers.
Women and girls worked mostly on decorating, sorting
and packing the confectionery.
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