The History of Afternoon Tea

As legend has it Afternoon Tea was created in the early 1800's by one of Queen Victoria's Ladies-in-waiting, Anna Marie Stanhope, the 7th Duchess of Bedford.  The tradition of the time was to have only 2 main meals during the day: breakfast and dinner.  Dinner was usually served between 8:30 and 9 p.m., maybe even later during the summer.  The Duchess would find herself feeling hunger pangs in the late afternoon so she asked her servants to secretly serve her tea and a small snack.  She decided she liked this afternoon treat so much she started inviting her friends to join her for her afternoon tea.  It soon became popular among the aristocrats in her circle including Queen Victoria.

Was she really the creator of Afternoon Tea?  No one really knows for sure.  She was one of the earliest people noted for the tradition in England.  Though when you look at the history of England at that time you find many coffee houses serving tea to the ladies.  It became a popular social outing for the Ladies of the aristocracy.  Though Ladies would need a male escort to enter these private establishments.  When an escort was not available, the Ladies started inviting their friends to their houses for tea and conversation.  

However it truly started, I can only say that I am extremely grateful that it did!