Tea has helped to shape social traditions, support the rise of the British Empire and contributed to the mighty momentum of the industrial revolution.

It is widely believed that the British East India Company established the initial trade for tea in the 17th century. While tea has been enjoyed in other parts of the world for centuries, it was not bought to the UK until much later. The earliest recordings of the sale of tea in London coffeehouses are from 1657, when green tea exported from China first appeared on the menu, along with a pamphlet explaining the exotic drink. The drink gained momentum, helped along by claims that it had a variety of medicinal properties. During this time, tea would have been an expensive commodity, far dearer than coffee, and, therefore, only enjoyed by the upper classes. In 1706, Thomas Twining opened the first tea shop in London, and it was in the 1720s that black tea became more popular thanks to the addition of milk and sugar, something that was not done in China. It overtook green tea which, until then, had been the more popular choice. Propelled by its ever-increasing popularity among the elite classes, imports of tea rose dramatically. It helped to drive the price down, and by 1750, the lower cost of the leaves opened the drink up to new levels of society. The tradition of afternoon tea emerged in the early 19th century. At this time Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, is believed to have complained about having "that sinking feeling" in the late afternoon. Anna, who was a lifelong friend of Queen Victoria, wanted something small to satisfy her hunger until dinner time. The solution to her cravings were a pot of tea and some bread, butter and cake which she enjoyed in private in her bedroom. She eventually started inviting friends to join her for the mid-afternoon snack at Woburn Abbey. She would send them cards to ask them to join her for "tea and walking in the fields". Soon the idea of eating sandwiches in the middle of the afternoon caught on, and fashionable society began doing it more publicly – in their drawing rooms. The trend especially took off after she shared her secret with her lifelong friend Queen Victoria, who started to enjoy cake and tea herself. By the 1800s afternoon tea was popular over the whole country, especially after tea became more affordable. Today, tea is still considered to be the national drink of Great Britain and continues to be widely enjoyed. While the social etiquette introduced by the upper classes in its early days are somewhat lesser practised, there is still an element of undeniable ritual about tea.