The History of Tea

July 15, 2024

Cuppa anyone? Tea in the UK is a staple part of our culture with approximately 100 million cups of tea being drank daily by tea lovers. This strong and rich hot drink has had our nation in a grip hold for years, and we can't see it leaving any time soon.

But where is tea from? Where did tea begin and why does it hold such an important place in our culture?

Where Was Tea Invented?

The first cup of tea begins in China, where it was brewed for the Chinese Emperor Shen Nung. His servant boiled drinking water and some leaves from the Camellia sinensis (also known as the tea plant) tree and created a drink that would be known as tea. This is where the vast history of tea began.

Originally, tea drinking was considered to be medicinal and this hot drink was only consumed because of its healing herbs. Fast forward to today where you can gift your loved ones tea hampers and we wonder how did we get here?

How Did Tea Become Popular In China?

The mausoleum of the Chinese emperor, Jing of Han was used to confirm that the origins of tea consumption lie in China. Tea used to be consumed at the time of the emperor in Xian during the Han dynasty. Samples of tea leaves were taken which underwent mass spectrometry to show that the leaves belong to the tree of the genus, Camellia.

The Chinese writer,Lu Yu, wrote a book on tea which was titled ‘the classic of tea’ and elaborates how plants and tea bushes were grown and how they were processed afterward to finally brew it into a liquid.

How Did Tea Spread Through Europe?

Tea was, once, very important for the British East India Company as it gained huge profits from its trade. Tea was not famous in Europe until the 16th century. It was particularly important among the Portuguese traders and missionaries who were settled in Europe.

However, the Portuguese were not the ones who introduced tea in Europe. Instead, the Dutch introduced tea in Europe by shipping it back during the end of the sixteenth century. However, the consumption of tea during that time was only limited to the elite class because of its high price.

The Popularisation of Tea In India

When East India Company lost its monopoly in the tea trade with China, it turned to India. The East India Company wanted to grow its tea in the Indian lands. Thus, the Company began to cultivate tea in Assam.

It became a huge success as the imports from India exceeded those from China. When the British government took over India and sent the East India Company back to Britain, tea cultivation grew even more and the government gained huge profits from its trade.

Tea Drinking In the UK

Dating back to the 17th century, British tea drinkers have been around for a long time when Chinese tea was introduced. The British didn't take to tea straight away, it wasn't until King Charles ii married a Portuguese Princess that they began to drink tea.

At first, drinking tea was for the higher class and coffee houses and cafes sold this imported drink.

As tea became more accessible and affordable, it gained popularity among the working class. By the 18th century, tea had become a staple beverage for people of all social classes in Britain.

In the 18th century, a high tea tax led to widespread smuggling of the commodity. Smugglers would bring tea into the country illegally to avoid paying taxes, leading to a thriving black market trade.

Afternoon Tea

In the early 19th century, Anna the Duchess of Bedford, began the tradition of Afternoon tea.

The story goes that the Duchess would become hungry in the late afternoon, so she began requesting tea, bread, and butter to be served in her room. She soon began inviting friends to join her, and the practice of afternoon tea became fashionable among the upper class.

Tea in today’s world

Unlike the old times, various varieties of unique tea exist today. Tea varieties are used as gifts where different kinds of teas are packed together in tea hampers and handed out as packages. Also, restaurants and cafes serve different types of brewed teas such as green tea, black tea, yellow tea. The tea bag was invented by accident when a merchant sent tea to someone in silk bags and they put both in the pot. It works, and so the tea bag was born.

Tea isn’t limited to medicinal use anymore. It is consumed on celebrations, as a stimulant, for weight loss, and for many other purposes. Different varieties of teas have different uses. Today, tea is one of the most consumed drinks in the world. Originating from China, it spread through Europe over the years.

Today, it is drunk in almost every part of the world for different purposes and in different manners and its consumption is one of the highest among all the other drinks of the world.

Whether you’re a fan of that classic early grey, green tea, Japanese tea or something more herbal or fruity or even an Iced Tea - a number of online retailers are now offering all of these in tea gift sets and hampers. There really is something for everyone. A number of these hampers include your essentials such as loose tea or tea bags. Beyond that you may find some snacks, tea cups, mugs specially designed tea pots - all sorts!

The Boston Tea Party

Tea has been at the centre of some disagreements in the past, with The Boston Tea Party being one of them. Tensions between the American colonies and the British colony and government had been simmering for years due to issues such as taxation without representation and other perceived injustices. One such source of tension was the Tea Act of 1773, which granted the British East India Company a monopoly on tea imports to the American colonies and imposed taxes on tea.

In response to the Tea Act, colonists in Boston, Massachusetts, organised a protest against the arrival of three ships carrying British tea. The colonists objected to the Tea Act and viewed it as another example of unfair taxation imposed by the British government without their consent.

A group of colonists disguised themselves as Native Americans and boarded the ships in Boston Harbor where they dumped 342 chests of British Tea.

This outraged British authorities, who viewed it as an act of rebellion. In response, the British Parliament passed the Coercive Acts, also known as the Intolerable Acts, which were harsh measures intended to punish the colonies for their defiance. These acts further fuelled colonial resentment and contributed to the escalation of tensions between Britain and the American colonies.