Lisa will take you to see where tea was first served in London and will explain how, from those small beginnings, the thirst for the tea and its profits turned tea into a national and global obsession and shaped the Empire.
You will see where tea auctions were held, where tea was stored, and where well-known brands eg. Tetley, PG Tips, Brooke Bond, etc. operated from.
You’ll hear about tea clipper races, and how one of the most notable examples of corporate espionage led to India becoming the tea-growing nation that it is today. As you walk through the City you’ll see where the East India Company – those architects of Empire – operated its tea trade from. You’ll hear how tea drove them to become drug smugglers as well as, unknowingly, the catalyst for the American War of Independence.
“The British never seem to do anything until they’ve had a cup of tea, by which time it’s too late” Lauren Bacall in North West Frontier (1959)
The history of tea is hidden amongst the City streets and alleyways. Lisa will uncover it with you and will also take you on a fascinating journey through time.
“London Walks puts you into the hands of an expert on the particular area and topic of a tour” The New York Times
Your guide is the distinguished former diplomat Lisa Honan CBE, the former Governor of St Helena – a British Overseas Territory governed by the East India Company for 200 years
APRÈS WALK
The walk finishes near the Tower of London close to Tower Hill station.
“If you are cold, tea will warm you; if you are too heated, it will cool you; If you are excited, it will calm you” 19th century British statesman and Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone
Lisbeth Nilsen –
I just took Lisa’s tea tour today and it was absolutely fabulous. I’d never have realised how much of a part tea has taken in the history of the world without going on this tour, but Lisa told the story beautifully and kept it interesting the entire time. One of my favourite London Walks for sure!