Most people are familiar with the significance of tea to the Victorian Era culture. However, the afternoon tea was not always a tradition and developed as a result of a change in the time of a fashionable dinner.
In the 1830’s afternoon tea drinking was not part of the daily agenda. Ten years later it was ingrained into the schedule when women of fashionable houses wrote about their days that included a luncheon of tea. For example, the famous Actress Fanny Kemble wrote about her afternoon tea taken whilst staying at the Belvoir. She brought this practice with her Woburn and Belgrave Square. Some resistance was met for it was considered indulgent by Paget the old Marquess of Anglesey, of Waterloo fame, who refused to let his daughters participate. Meanwhile they continued to enjoy tea; they slid it under the sofa when they heard his approach. Ultimately afternoon tea eventually took the place of cake and wine.
The shift in the time of the dinner party occurred in the second half of the period. Dinner was first served for the working class at six or seven o’clock. For the second half of the period, dinner was fixed at seven thirty to echo the program of homes of fashion. At the respectable dinner party, dinner was served at approximately seven o’clock. Then, between nine and ten tea was served. Between ten and eleven goodbyes were said and women went off to prepare for bed and men continued the evening with smoking and drinking whiskey.
Victorian London – Houses and Housing – ‘Homes and Habits’ by Mrs. C. S. Peel from Early Victorian England, 1830-1865, ed. G.M.Young, 1934.
Ah yes, tea time. The epitome of the British stereotype and the only knowledgeable thing that most Americans know about the British. Fascinating isn’t it?
Wow. Ladies shoving tea under the sofa when they hear their father approach because it was thought of as more indulgent than cake and wine. What an image. I do the exact opposite.
I had always wondered why tea was such a big part of British life and it’s strange to think that tea was not always important to them. It was originally resisted. Now it’s a big stereotype and sometimes it’s the only thing people know about the British way of life.
Great summary of the article! It’s good to know the history of tea in high society. It’s interesting that the article didn’t talk about the connections between tea and England’s rise as an empire and colonial force: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/04/07/396664685/tea-tuesdays-how-tea-sugar-reshaped-the-british-empire