Registration opens:
September 13th, 2025

Women and Tea in the Victorian Era

In this program, you may find out how tea had an impact on both upper- and working-class women. As well as how tea affected women's social events, dress styles, business, and health.

As early as the 16th century, tea was introduced to England. It was an exotic drink that was very expensive. Tea was originally sold only in coffee shops that women were not allowed to enter. It wasn't until the Twining family opened the Golden Lyon Tea Shop in London in the early 18th century that women could purchase tea. Of course, a woman could only do this when accompanied by a man. For many years, tea remained an expensive and prestigious beverage. Tea, however, was no longer exorbitantly priced by the middle of the 19th century, and it became available to all classes of society

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