A Lovely Cup of Tea!

A Potted History of the Humble Cuppa

The comforting cup of tea is the national drink of Great Britain and Ireland and many, many, many cups are drunk every day!

But where did this love of tea originate?

Tea was first introduced to Britain in the early 17th Century by the East India Company. It was expensive and only the rich could afford it, keeping it under lock and key. Catherine of Braganza (the wife of King Charles II) introduced the ritual of drinking teas to the English Royal Court and tea-drinking was then adopted by the aristocracy.

The first tea shop for ladies was opened by Thomas Twining in 1717 and, slowly but surely, more tea shops opened throughout the country, making the drinking of teas available to everyone.

This love of tea increased further in the days of the British Empire in India and these days, over 165 million cups are drunk each day. We even have a National Tea Day!

Make The Perfect Cup