The Rowntree Society

The Rowntree Society We are an educational charity dedicated to the histories of the Rowntree family, company & Trusts and their relevance to our world today.

Several generations of the Quaker Rowntree family have helped shape modern York as a city of confectionery manufacture as well as a city with a long history of involvement in social justice. Rowntree of York is one of the great names in confectionery history and many of the Rowntree brands (from Fruit Pastilles to KitKat, Black Magic, Smarties and Polos) are much-loved household names. The Rowntree company provided a source of income for thousands of families right around the world. It also introduced professional standards in the business environment, long before such things were commonplace as they are today. Joseph Rowntree was an industrialist who cared passionately about his workforce. But he also had a unique approach to poverty, at a time when there was little understanding of what poverty even meant. Most importantly, he drew attention to the need to tackle the root causes of poverty, and not just its immediate symptoms. Today we live in a time when questions have re-emerged about philanthropy and corporate social responsibility, as well as questions about how we can achieve a fair and compassionate society. What can we learn from the life and work of the Rowntree family? And how are their ideals still relevant to us today?
- See more at: http://www.rowntreesociety.org.uk/rowntree-history-2/ .r7tGiHHj.dpuf

You know the chocolate. How much do you know about the politics?Join us for The Politics Behind the Chocolate, exploring...
08/10/2026

You know the chocolate. How much do you know about the politics?

Join us for The Politics Behind the Chocolate, exploring the political ideas and connections that helped shape the Rowntree family’s thinking and work.

đź“Ť York St John University
📅 Saturday 31st October | 2–4pm

Free admission, booking essential: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2002521783561

A works dentist, retirement pensions and financial support for widows were among the benefits introduced for Rowntree’s ...
06/10/2026

A works dentist, retirement pensions and financial support for widows were among the benefits introduced for Rowntree’s employees.

Joseph and his son Seebohm Rowntree took an active interest in workers’ welfare, introducing measures that also included a central works council.

For Seebohm, questions about work and wages were closely connected to his research into poverty.

His study of York, published in 1901, found that more than half of those living in what he called “primary poverty” were in regular work. Their earnings were simply too low to provide their families with the necessities of life.

His writing explored what workers needed to live on and the place of human welfare in running a business. These concerns informed his work both within the company and beyond it.

You can read more on the Seebohm Rowntree and Industrial Welfare page on our website: https://www.rowntreesociety.org.uk/pastprojects/seebohm-rowntree-industrial-welfare/

Did you or someone in your family work at Rowntree’s? We’d love to hear what you remember about the support available to staff.

Looking for information about a family member who worked at Rowntree’s?Or interested in finding out more about the famil...
02/10/2026

Looking for information about a family member who worked at Rowntree’s?

Or interested in finding out more about the family and their connections to York?

Knowing where to start can be the difficult part, so our Researching Rowntree webpage brings together information about archives and collections in York and beyond.

Different collections can help with different questions!

Visit the Researching Rowntree page on our website to get started: https://www.rowntreesociety.org.uk/explore-rowntree-history/researching-rowntree/

What shaped the Rowntrees’ political thinking?You may know the Rowntree family for their chocolate, Quaker beliefs or wo...
29/09/2026

What shaped the Rowntrees’ political thinking?

You may know the Rowntree family for their chocolate, Quaker beliefs or work for social reform. But there’s another side to their history that we’ll be exploring this October… their political influences and connections.

Join us for The Politics Behind the Chocolate, our autumn lecture at York St John University.

Our speakers will explore the Rowntrees’ involvement with Liberal politics and engagement with socialist ideas during the changing political landscape of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

How did these ideas influence the family’s thinking and work? And how did the Rowntrees, in turn, influence others?

đź“… Saturday 31st October 2026
⏰ 2pm-4pm
đź“Ť York St John University
🎟️ Free to attend, but booking is essential.

Book your place via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2002521783561

How often do you walk through York without knowing the stories behind the buildings you pass?Our City Centre Walk takes ...
28/09/2026

How often do you walk through York without knowing the stories behind the buildings you pass?

Our City Centre Walk takes you to places connected with the Rowntree family, their business and their involvement in life in the city.

Along the way, you’ll find the site of the early Rowntree factory at Tanner’s Moat, Joseph Rowntree’s birthplace on Pavement and the Friends Meeting House on Friargate, where he attended Quaker worship.

The guide includes directions, things to look out for and stories to read as you go, from the development of Fruit Pastilles to the family’s Quaker beliefs.

Taking around an hour, it’s a lovely way to learn more about York, whether you live here or are visiting.

You can download the City Centre Walk for free from the Five Rowntree Walks page on our website: https://www.rowntreesociety.org.uk/explore-rowntree-history/rowntree-walks-in-york/

Have you been on this walk before?

Want to explore the Rowntree story through the years?Our Interactive Timeline takes you through some of the key moments ...
25/09/2026

Want to explore the Rowntree story through the years?

Our Interactive Timeline takes you through some of the key moments in the history of the Rowntree family, company and their wider legacy.

You can explore events stretching from the nineteenth century through to the present day, from the lives and work of different members of the Rowntree family to the development of the business and the organisations connected to their legacy.

You can also filter the timeline by year, event, person or category to explore particular areas of interest.

The timeline is continuing to evolve and we're regularly updating it as we add to our research.

Explore the Interactive Timeline on our website: https://www.rowntreesociety.org.uk/interactive-timeline/

Which Rowntree product brings back the most memories for you? 🍫From KitKat and Smarties to Fruit Pastilles and Black Mag...
23/09/2026

Which Rowntree product brings back the most memories for you? 🍫

From KitKat and Smarties to Fruit Pastilles and Black Magic, Rowntree’s products have been enjoyed by generations...

Perhaps there’s one you remember receiving as a treat, sharing with family or buying with your pocket money.

Maybe it’s a product you haven’t seen for years!

We’d love to know which one brings back the strongest memories for you, and the story behind it.

Let us know in the comments!

You'll often hear the Rowntrees described as a Quaker family, but what does that mean?Quakers, also known as the Religio...
21/09/2026

You'll often hear the Rowntrees described as a Quaker family, but what does that mean?

Quakers, also known as the Religious Society of Friends, are a religious group with roots in Christianity.

Quakerism began in England in the seventeenth century and has a long history in York.

Individual Quakers can hold different beliefs. In Britain today, four of the main Quaker values, known as testimonies, are simplicity, truth, equality and peace.

Quaker faith was an important influence on the lives and work of Joseph Rowntree and other members of the Rowntree family, and is an important part of understanding their story.

York itself has a longstanding Quaker history!

Did you know about the Rowntrees' Quaker faith?

Did someone in your family work at Rowntree’s? 🍫The Rowntree factory played a part in the everyday lives of generations ...
18/09/2026

Did someone in your family work at Rowntree’s? 🍫

The Rowntree factory played a part in the everyday lives of generations of people across York, and many families still have stories, photographs and memories from their relatives’ time there.

Perhaps they shared stories about factory life, entertainment and leisure time, travelling to work or living in New Earswick.

We’d love to hear your family’s Rowntree memories. Let us know in the comments!

Want to explore the Rowntree story through the years?Our Interactive Timeline takes you through key moments in the histo...
16/09/2026

Want to explore the Rowntree story through the years?

Our Interactive Timeline takes you through key moments in the history of the Rowntree family, company and their wider legacy.

You can explore events stretching from the nineteenth century through to the present day, from the lives and work of different members of the Rowntree family to the development of the business and the organisations connected to their legacy.

You can also filter the timeline by year, event, person or category to explore particular areas of interest.

The timeline is continuing to evolve and we're regularly updating it as we add to our research.

Explore the Interactive Timeline on our website: https://www.rowntreesociety.org.uk/interactive-timeline/

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York
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Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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