The History of Tea & Coffee Walking Tour
What could be more British than a nice cup of tea?
The Culture Concierge has curated a brand new look at the history of tea and coffee in London, with a leisurely and informative walk stretching from St Katherine’s Dock to the Royal Exchange, led by our expert guide.
In times of crisis, sickness, tragedy, the first thing we do is put the kettle on.
Never mind that there may have been bombs dropping, fires raging, a nice cup of tea solved everything. And yet behind this simple beverage lies stories of derring-do, adventure and excitement on an epic scale. Our City walk celebrates the humble camellia sinensis plant from which our extraordinary variety of teas emanate. Tea was at the heart of the founding of the British Empire; fuelling our global trade, culture and even behaviours and etiquette. And London was, for many years, the epicentre of an expanding trade which changed British lives forever!
The walk focuses on the oldest part of London, the City, which grew from the trade coming into the Pool of London. Ships travelled across the globe for weeks to bring the first pickings to the British public. In a time before instant communication, people held their breath waiting for the ships to return from their perilous journeys, in what became an annual race with financial benefits for the winner. Fortunes were won and lost on the turn of the wind. And, of course, our story would not be complete without the history of the goliath that was the East India Company and the pioneers who, by risking life and limb, sought to bring tea to our shores.
In just a small area surrounding the Tower of London flourished the warehousing and auction houses from which tea was distributed far and wide across the country and beyond. The City still holds some of the magic of those past times, which we’ll be exploring. And through the stories of those involved and the sites of the most significant importance, we’ll be conjuring up the atmosphere of the time when the tea trade was king.
Touring historic London locations
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St Katherine’s Dock
Scenic and historic City dock
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Mincing Lane
Home of the tea auction sites
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Pool of London
Part of the Thames between London Bridge and Cuckold’s Point
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Royal Exchange
A historic London trading site
Walk curator and guide
Sue Hadley MITG
An experienced and qualified Blue Badge tourist guide in London and surrounds, Sue is a Londoner by birth. Born into the colourful atmosphere of the East End, London has been her home, workplace and playground for many years. Showing visitors around ‘her city’ is her greatest pleasure and we are thrilled to collaborate with her on this exciting new project.
About Us
The Culture Concierge (and previously The English Manner) was founded by Alexandra Messervy FRSA, a former Member of the Royal Household of Queen Elizabeth II. Alexandra and her colleagues have taught the history, traditions and etiquette of English afternoon tea all over the world from China to Chester. Tour participants will be able to add an etiquette class to their day, learning the differences between afternoon tea and high tea, and to debate whether it should be cream or jam first on the ubiquitous British scone!
A donation will be given from each walk to the London Tea History Association, which has been set up to promote the history of tea and those who have been associated with the industry in the UK.