Words by Gaby Dyson
As a nation, the British are said to drink around 100 million cups of tea a day (or 40 billion a year). It should come as no surprise then that tea is widely regarded as our national drink. But how did the humble tea leaf become such an integral part of our culture?
It was during the early 17th century that The East India Company brought tea to Britain’s shores. As an imported luxury, it arrived with a hefty price tag and as a result it was largely reserved for the nation’s elite ruling classes. Indeed, it was Catherine of Braganza (the wife of Charles II) who introduced the ritual of tea drinking to the royal court. Her use of tea as a court beverage influenced its popularity in literary circles and the habit was quickly adopted by British aristocracy.
Conversely, it was actually London’s coffee houses that were responsible for introducing tea to the wider public. One of the first coffee merchants to offer tea to his customers was Thomas Garway. Garway sold both liquid and dry tea to the public as early as 1657 and would later advertise tea in local broadsheets, the drinks virtues for “preserving perfect health until extreme old age”.
By 1700 over 500 coffee houses sold tea and in 1717 the first tea shop for ladies was opened by Thomas Twining (a name which may ring a bell). The drink proved to be a huge hit with the masses and soon it was all the rage with Britain’s middle classes and working families alike. By the mid-18th century, tea had become the country’s most popular drink, pushing ale and gin aside.
The popularity of tea was bad news for many tavern owners, who had to slash the prices of alcohol to compete with tea sales. By the mid 18th century, the duty on tea had reached a whopping 119% and this ridiculous taxation led to the emergence of a whole new industry: tea smuggling.
Far from the glitz and glamour of the royal courts, the industry of tea smuggling was a dark and clandestine affair. Ships from Holland and Scandinavia would bring tea leaves to the British coast and stand offshore while smuggler boats would sail out to meet them and receive their valuable cargo.
Even smuggled tea was a precious and expensive commodity though; so smugglers would attempt to increase their profits by adulterating their tea leaves. Many smuggled varieties would contain other substances, such as willow, liquorice, and sloe leaves. Used tea leaves were also re-dried and added to fresh leaves to mask the stale taste.
Today, there are almost 1,500 different teas in Britain; each one varying in style, taste, and colour. Perhaps the most obvious reason for the drink’s popularity would be its simplicity and versatility. All you have to do to create a warming brew is boil a kettle, sit back and relax. It’s a simple antidote to daily stresses and can be enjoyed around the clock.