How
Afternoon Tea began
Anna Russell, the Duchess of
Bedford, inadvertantly created what is now known as afternoon
tea during the 1800's. With
English dinners typically at 7pm, she found herself feeling faint in
the afternoons.
Anna started sipping tea
each afternoon to tide her
over.
Anna had her servants
bring her a few little bites of
food to eat as she sipped her tea.
Her Aristocratic
girlfriends soon started dropping by at 'teatime' and they too
were served 'tea and light snacks'. This quickly became a daily
ritual that Anna and her friends
indulged in every afternoon.
Lower classes heard about this wonderful afternoon
tea that the Aristocracy were enjoying and the idea
spread to all who enjoy tea.
Afternoon
Tea is soon a ritual enjoyed by everyone in Britain, regardless of
class.
High
Society
It would seem that
liitle has changed from the 18th Century to now.
In London, in the 1800's, Society ladies would meet in the
afternoons for gossip and tea. Teashops and Coffee shops became popular
places for social meetings with friends.
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