Afternoon Tea in Market Harborough

The History of
Afternoon Tea

Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford is widely understood to have been been the driving force behind afternoon tea in the 1840’s. She is said to have complained of “having that sinking feeling” during the late afternoon. It was common at that time for people to take only two main meals a day, breakfast in the morning, and dinner at around 8 o’clock in the evening. The Duchess’ solution was a pot a tea and a light snack, taken privately in her boudoir during the afternoon. This quickly became a treat with her friends and developed into a social event.