AKA Coffee, Conversation & Commerce: How London Became the Centre of the World
Coffee didn’t just wake London up. It fuelled its takeover of the world…
Mark brings London’s coffee-house world vividly to life.
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, a strange new drink transformed London.
Coffee played a crucial role in turning London into the global centre of trade, finance and speculation.
Pasqua Rossee’s Coffee House and Jonathan’s and Garraway’s and Lloyd’s and countless other establishments became places where news was swapped, fortunes made and lost, and modern capitalism was improvised at small, crowded tables.
In hundreds of bustling coffee houses, merchants, shipowners, insurers, pamphleteers, gamblers and visionaries gathered at cramped wooden tables to argue, gossip, calculate, scheme and change history.
The Coffee-House Big Bang traces the arrival of coffee from the Ottoman Empire and shows how a bitter black drink sharpened minds, loosened tongues, weaponised rumours, lubricated deals, and helped create modern capitalism. Coffee houses became places where fortunes were made and lost, newspapers were born, markets moved and the future was improvised at small crowded tables.
A visitor to London in 1698 marvelled at what he found:
“You have all Manner of News there. You have a good Fire, which you may sit by as long as you please. You have a Dish of Coffee. You meet your Friends for the Transaction of Business, and all for a Penny, if you don’t care to spend more.”
– Maximilien Misson
We walk lanes and alleyways once frequented by Samuel Pepys and Benjamin Franklin and meet some of the other regulars who haunted these establishments. Scientists, spies, swindlers and visionaries all rubbed shoulders here, including the man who was Christopher Wren’s best friend and Isaac Newton’s most implacable enemy.
Mark uncovers how pillars of the British economy, from Lloyd’s of London to the Stock Exchange, began life in coffee houses. Not as respectable institutions but as noisy, argumentative, occasionally riotous rooms where dark deals were struck, sharp practice was admired, and the future of the world was hammered out over “dishes” of coffee strong enough to keep you awake for days.
Mickey –
2+ hours flew away- not even once did I check the time during the walk! Mark’s tireless efforts in thorough research and making the episodes entertaining are very much appreciated by all participants. This walk is not about merely coffee houses but about how the society, economy, and financial industry developed. Highly recommended.
Paul threadingham –
Mark is very knowledgeable about this subject and was very interesting to listen to. A must to book.
Jane S –
What a delightful walk! Coffee turns out to be intricately intertwined in the economic and social history of London in so many fascinating ways. Mark is a terrific guide, well-equipped with dozens of engaging visuals and the anecdotes to match. A lot happened in this very compact area in the heart of the City over the centuries! Do try to catch this fun walk the next time it comes around.
G Subbu –
One of the best walks I’ve been on with London Walks. The walk has been a mandatory ” must do ” during every visit to London.
Mark , a friendly coffee aficionado, regaled us with the history of the Devil’s Cup ( a book worth reading ) and the coffee houses frequented by great scholars like William Harvey, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Cooke and Isaac Newton. Glimpses of the places where share trading and insurance underwriters started their trade were icing on the cake . Entertaining and insightful for a coffee addict who brews his own poison , first thing in the morning !
Thanks a ton, Mark .
Wish you many more successful tours .
Regards
G Subbu –
Trivia about William Harvey ,
Famous for blood through the artery ,
And the scientist Robert Cooke ,
At the coffee house , ( at Newton ), cocked a snook ,
Did you know that William also promoted the circulation of coffee !
😉
G Subbu –
Mark, a Mastermind from the land of the Kiwi ,
Treated us to an exposition on coffee ,
Walked us through the route,
With explanations, so astute ,
About a bean that travelled all the way from Ethiopia and Turkey !!
Rebecca –
I really enjoyed the walking tour with Mark. He was incredibly knowledgeable, informative and engaging, bringing the story of coffee to life with fascinating images, stories and insights. He also added plenty of historical references along the way, which made the tour feel rich and engaging throughout.
It was particularly impressive how much history and detail he managed to weave into such a relatively small geographical area. Mark clearly has a real passion for the subject, and his enthusiasm made the tour both interesting and enjoyable. A warm, fascinating and very well-presented tour — highly recommended!
Anthea Lang –
This new walk by Mark was brilliant. He was so entertaining and his uses of pictures was excellent. We found hidden alleys and quaint buildings we would never have seen and I don’t think I’d have noticed the grasshopper on the top of the Royal Exchange if he hadn’t pointed it out!
Tim Gifford –
A fascinating dive into the history of coffee houses as the key places of commerce that enabled London to become the global trading force it was in the 18th and 19th centuries. Mark’s knowledge and enthusiasm has crafted an absorbing walk that maintains interest in past and present coffee emporia. Great fun.
Sandra White –
A fascinating look at the world of coffee and its origins. Mark’s knowledge of the subject was amazing, with the passion to go with it.We walked down small alleys to discover interesting things at the other end.Highly recommended.