Tea Party Diva - Life & Craft

Afternoon Tea in Victorian England was often about more than just food. It was an occasion said to have originated with Anna, Duchess of Bedford in 1840. A Victorian Afternoon Tea was about social graces, defined rules of etiquette, interactions and establishing oneself in society.

Dainty Afternoon Tea For Gloved Hands
On formal occasions, gloves were left on, so food needed to be easy to handle with gloved hands. Also, food could not be too messy, for the same reason.

The hostess had to keep this in mind, when planning a menu. Hence the food was small, light and dainty. This made it easy to eat in delicate mouthfuls and still converse.

At Homes
The food was beautifully presented with silverware, white table linen and fresh flowers. These occasions were sometimes called “At Homes”. Afternoon Tea was starting to become popular, both in private homes, and in cafes and roadside inns.

Cassells 1922 Book of Etiquette explains the newly popular Afternoon Tea, comparing it to High Tea.

The present day recreation of taking short runs from town to country - a practice encouraged by the facilities afforded by the universality of the petrol driven vehicle, and the appeal of the rustic lawn common to most roadside inns - has given a vogue to the lighter type of afternoon tea.

Times Past