England Tea Rooms
From Mystic Tea Room
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England Tea Room Gallery, in alphabetical order by name of city or town. | England Tea Room Gallery, in alphabetical order by name of city or town. | ||
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=== London === | === London === | ||
- | [[File:London-Coliseum-One-of-the-Tea-Rooms-Tuck-Oilette-postcard-interior-front.jpg|center|600px|thumb|London Coliseum, One of the Tea Rooms, | + | [[File:London-Coliseum-One-of-the-Tea-Rooms-Tuck-Oilette-postcard-interior-front.jpg|center|600px|thumb|The London Coliseum, One of the Tea Rooms. The London Coliseum, in St. Martin's Lane, Westminster, opened in 1904 as London's largest and most luxurious music hall, seating 2,359 patrons. The uniformed waitresses stand ready to serve a crowd of happy theatre-goers. I wonder how many tea rooms there actually were. The building, designed by the architect Frank Matcham, still stands and is now the home of the English National Ballet. This is a Tuck Oilette, a small reproduction of an oil painting that was commissioned by Raphael Tuck and Sons, a famous postcard company.]]<!--[[File:London-Coliseum-One-of-the-Tea-Rooms-Tuck-Oilette-postcard-interior-back.jpg|center|600px|thumb|London Coliseum, One of the Tea Rooms, interior, Tuck Oilette postcard back. Tuck cards are so well made, and the backs are beautifully laid out.]]--> |
- | [[File:London-Coliseum-One-of-the-Tea-Rooms-Tuck-Oilette-postcard-interior-back.jpg|center|600px|thumb|London Coliseum, One of the Tea Rooms, interior, Tuck Oilette postcard back.]] | + | |
== Hampshire == | == Hampshire == | ||
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===Beaulieu === | ===Beaulieu === | ||
- | [[File:Granary-Tea- | + | [[File:Granary-Tea-Rooms-Hatchett-Mill-Beaulieu-Hampshire-England-RPPC-Postcard-Front.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Granary Tea Rooms, Hatchett Mill, Beaulieu, Hampshire, England, postcard front. This image, number 6451, looking into the room from the door, has been shot at 180 degrees from the following card. A massive fireplace along one wall is not the focus of attention in this narrow room. A steep stair-ladder leads up to a mezzanine or loft lined with book shelves, whose balustrade is hung with fancy carpets. The text on the back identifies it as a Real Photo in the "Sunshine" Series, photographed and printed by E. A. Sweetman and Son, Tunbridge Wells The notation of a "Son" would seem to indicate that this is from a later printing than the following card, although the photos were taken on the same day and sequentially numbered. ]]<!--[[File:Granary-Tea-Rooms-Hatchett-Mill-Beaulieu-Hampshire-England-RPPC-Postcard-Back.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Granary Tea Rooms, Hatchett Mill, Beaulieu, Hampshire, England, postcard back.]]--> |
- | [[File:Granary-Tea- | + | |
- | [[File:Granary-Tea- | + | [[File:Granary-Tea-Room-Hatchet-Mill-Beaulieu-England, RPPC-postcard-front.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Granary Tea Rooms, Hatchett Mill, Beaulieu, Hampshire, England, postcard front. This image, number 6452, is taken from inside the tea room, looking back at the door, and was shot at 180 degrees from the previous card. Here we see the entirety of the large fireplace and the array of eight or ten tea tables decked with starched linens and casual vases of summer flowers. The text on the back informs us that it is a Real Photo Post Card by E. A. Sweetman Ltd., Tunbridge Wells.]] <!--[[File:Granary-Tea-Room-Hatchet-Mill-Beaulieu-England, RPPC-postcard-back.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Granary Tea Rooms, Hatchett Mill, Beaulieu, Hampshire, England, postcard back.]]--> |
- | [[File:Granary-Tea- | + | |
===Burley=== | ===Burley=== | ||
- | [[File:Manor-Farm-Tea-Rooms.-Burley-New-Forest-exterior-postcard-front.jpg |center|600px|thumb|Exterior of Manor Farm Tea Rooms, Burley, New Forest, Hampshire, England | + | [[File:Manor-Farm-Tea-Rooms.-Burley-New-Forest-exterior-postcard-front.jpg |center|600px|thumb|Exterior of Manor Farm Tea Rooms, Burley, New Forest, Hampshire, England. The ancient thatched cottage dates to the 16th century, according to the text on the back of this colour photo postcard from 1945. Directly below is an interior shot of the old fireplace.]] |
- | [[File:Manor-Farm-Tea-Rooms-New-Forest-Burley-England.jpg|center|600px|thumb|The Fireplace at Manor Farm Tea Rooms, Burley, New Forest, Hampshire, England | + | [[File:Manor-Farm-Tea-Rooms-New-Forest-Burley-England.jpg|center|600px|thumb|The Fireplace at Manor Farm Tea Rooms, Burley, New Forest, Hampshire, England. The tea tables are not seen, but the focus is on a very ancient fireplace around which we see a grouping of fire tools, polished brass warming pans, an unusual rectangular brass tea kettle, and some firewood. Along the front of the mantelpiece, nine lucky horse brasses are nailed; atop the mantel a clock, two brass trays, an ornate candle-stand, and some pottery can be seen; one piece seems to be a jug in the old Blue Willow pattern.]] |
===Ringwood=== | ===Ringwood=== | ||
- | [[File:Old-Cottage-Tea-Rooms-Ringwood-New-Forest-Hampshire-England-Postcard-front.jpg|center|600px|thumb|A Tudor Room, Old Cottage Tea Rooms, Ringwood, New Forest, Hampshire, England. The plural form, "Tea Rooms" is quite common in England and is used specifically to convey the information that a multi-roomed building — perhaps an old home, historic agricultural structure, or a shop — has been outfitted with several small tea rooms, each featuring its own decor. This is "a Tudor Room," and as is often the case, the photo features an old fireplace. Here we see the andirons, fire tools, brass warming pans, and kettle -- | + | [[File:Old-Cottage-Tea-Rooms-Ringwood-New-Forest-Hampshire-England-Postcard-front.jpg|center|600px|thumb|A Tudor Room, Old Cottage Tea Rooms, Ringwood, New Forest, Hampshire, England. The plural form, "Tea Rooms" is quite common in England and is used specifically to convey the information that a multi-roomed building — perhaps an old home, historic agricultural structure, or a shop — has been outfitted with several small tea rooms, each featuring its own decor. This is "a Tudor Room," and as is often the case, the photo features an old fireplace. Here we see the andirons, fire tools, brass warming pans, and kettle -- but no cheerfully flaming logs or grate of coal, because as the vase of flowers tells us, the photo was taken in summertime.]] |
==Kent== | ==Kent== | ||
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===Epsom=== | ===Epsom=== | ||
- | [[File:Horton-County-of-London-War-Hospital-Tea-Room-Epsom-Surrey-circa-WW!-postcard-front.jpg|center|600px|thumb|Horton County of London War Hospital Tea Room, Horton Hospital, Long Grove Road, Epsom, Surrey opened as a mental asylum on the 88 acre Horton Estate in 1902, and was converted to a hospital for wounded British soldiers in 1915, during World War One; note that the tea servers seem to be dressed as volunteers, in a variety of outfits]] | + | [[File:Horton-County-of-London-War-Hospital-Tea-Room-Epsom-Surrey-circa-WW!-postcard-front.jpg|center|600px|thumb|Horton County of London War Hospital Tea Room, Horton Hospital, Long Grove Road, Epsom, Surrey. This institution opened as a mental asylum on the 88 acre Horton Estate in 1902, and was converted to a hospital for wounded British soldiers in 1915, during World War One; note that the tea servers seem to be dressed as volunteers, in a variety of outfits.]] |
- | [[File:Horton-County-of-London-War-Hospital-Tea-Room-Epsom-Surrey-circa-WW!-postcard-front-2.jpg|center|600px|thumb|Horton County of London War Hospital Tea Room, | + | [[File:Horton-County-of-London-War-Hospital-Tea-Room-Epsom-Surrey-circa-WW!-postcard-front-2.jpg|center|600px|thumb|Horton County of London War Hospital Tea Room, Horton Hospital, Long Grove Road, Epsom, Surrey. Although not captioned as such, this is more or less a reverse view of the above card. King George V and Queen Mary visited the hospital in July 1916, at which time there were almost 2000 military patients; in 1919, after having served more than 46,000 soldiers, Horton was handed back to civilian authorities; it was reinstated as a mental hospital and renamed Horton Mental Hospital in 1920]] |
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- | ==" | + | ==="Possibly in Sussex"=== |
- | [[File:Regnum-Tea-Rooms-Tortoisette-Stove-Possibly-Sussex-England-postcard-front.jpg|center|600px|thumb|Regnum Tea Rooms Shewing Tortoisette Stove, Unknown Town, "Possibly in Sussex," England. Well, this is one of those cards that resists research. I purchased it from a dealer in the UK who, for reasons known to himself, pencilled on the back, "Possibly in Sussex," and so here it is. No tea room of this name currently can be found in England, and this photo must date to the mid or late 1930s. Which brings me to the second great unknown: lacking a cozy fireplace, the Regnum Tea Rooms makes do by boasting of its "Tortoisette Stove." I pondered this mystery for many a year, but in due time, the internet came along, and the Tortoisette Steve proved very easy to research. To make a long story short, in the 19th century, Charles Portway designed | + | [[File:Regnum-Tea-Rooms-Tortoisette-Stove-Possibly-Sussex-England-postcard-front.jpg|center|600px|thumb|Regnum Tea Rooms Shewing Tortoisette Stove, Unknown Town, "Possibly in Sussex," England. Well, this is one of those cards that resists research. I purchased it from a dealer in the UK who, for reasons known to himself, pencilled on the back, "Possibly in Sussex," and so here it is. No tea room of this name currently can be found in England, and this photo must date to the mid or late 1930s. Which brings me to the second great unknown: lacking a cozy fireplace, the Regnum Tea Rooms makes do by boasting of its "Tortoisette Stove." I pondered this mystery for many a year, but in due time, the internet came along, and the Tortoisette Steve proved very easy to research. To make a long story short, in the 19th century, Charles Portway designed an extremely slow-burning fuel-efficient cast iron stove that could handle soft woods, hard woods, peat, straw, sawdust briquettes, anthracite, and lignite coal. He named it the Tortoise, and its motto, "Slow but Sure" was displayed on the front of every stove. In the 1930s a smaller version of the Tortoise was introduced, and it was called, logically enough, the Tortoisette. Several models were made; this is the Tortoisette Model 2, now a much-loved and highly collectible antique. The Portway company is still making stoves, by the way, and they come with a ten-year guarantee. As for the Regnum Tea Rooms, we have a mix of rattan and wooden seating, abundant summer flowers in vases, an art deco light fixture, an antique pottery platter, signage advertising "Dainty Teas" and "Luncheons," and not much else. If you know where it was located, drop me a line; i'd love to get it properly situated in the Land of Tea.]] |
===Wealden=== | ===Wealden=== | ||
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=== Kenilworth === | === Kenilworth === | ||
- | [[File:Cozy-Cafe-Tea-Rooms-Kenilworth-England-3-exterior-Tuck-postcard-front.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Cosy Cafe Tea Rooms, Kenilworth, England, | + | [[File:Cozy-Cafe-Tea-Rooms-Kenilworth-England-3-exterior-Tuck-postcard-front.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Cosy Cafe Tea Rooms, Kenilworth, England. This, card, KW 64, is an exterior shot in a series of Raphael Tuck and Sons postcard views of Kenilworth.]] <!--[[File:Cozy-Cafe-Tea-Rooms-Kenilworth-England-3-exterior-Tuck-postcard-back.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Cosy Cafe Tea Rooms, Kenilworth, England. Here is the nice Tuck postcard back.]]--> |
- | [[File:Cozy-Cafe-Tea-Rooms-Kenilworth-England-3-exterior-Tuck-postcard-back.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Cosy Cafe Tea Rooms, Kenilworth, England | + | [[File:Cozy-Cafe-Tea-Rooms-Kenilworth-England-2-Tuck-postcard-front.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Cosy Cafe Tea Rooms, Kenilworth, England. This, card, KW 66, is another Tuck Card in the Kenilworth series, showing the interior of the Cosy Cafe Tea Rooms. The collection of horse brasses is delightful; notice also the china ware.]]<!--[[File:Cozy-Cafe-Tea-Rooms-Kenilworth-England-2-Tuck-postcard-back.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Cosy Cafe Tea Rooms, Kenilworth, England, interior, Tuck postcard back.]]--> |
- | [[File:Cozy-Cafe-Tea-Rooms-Kenilworth-England-2-Tuck-postcard-front.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Cosy Cafe Tea Rooms, Kenilworth, England, | + | |
- | [[File:Cozy-Cafe-Tea-Rooms-Kenilworth-England-2-Tuck-postcard-back.jpg|center|thumb|600px|Cosy Cafe Tea Rooms, Kenilworth, England, interior, Tuck postcard back.]] | + | |
==Worcestershire== | ==Worcestershire== | ||
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===Broadway=== | ===Broadway=== | ||
- | [[File:Priors-Manse-Tea-House-The-Priors-Room-Boardway-Worcestershire-England-interior-RPPC-postcard-front.jpg|center|600px|thumb|The Prior's Room, Prior's Manse Tea House, Broadway, Worcestershire, England. The fireplace in this gable-ceilinged upper room is not lit, but its mantel holds a nice array of antique porcelain ewers and jugs, in what may be the Blue Willow pattern. The antique-style wooden chairs set off the ceiling beams. ]] | + | [[File:Priors-Manse-Tea-House-The-Priors-Room-Boardway-Worcestershire-England-interior-RPPC-postcard-front.jpg|center|600px|thumb|The Prior's Room, Prior's Manse Tea House, Broadway, Worcestershire, England. The fireplace in this gable-ceilinged upper room is not lit, but its mantel holds a nice array of antique porcelain ewers and jugs, in what may be the Blue Willow pattern. The antique-style wooden chairs set off the ceiling beams beautifully.]] |
[[File:Priors-Manse-Tea-House-The-Refectory-Broadway-Worchestershire-Engalnd-RPPC-postcard-front.jpg|center|600px|thumb|The Refectory, Prior's Manse Tea House, Broadway, Worcestershire, England. The fireplace in the lower room, the manse's former dining hall, is almost identical to the one above. Again no fire is lit, but here we see why -- the beautiful vase of blooming white roses in the window sill and the floral sprays on the tables and mantelpiece show this photo to have been taken in summer, on a sunny day. As above, a show of china-ware decorates the mantel, and in this image it more clearly seems to be in the much-loved Blue Willow pattern, which, with its Asian theme, ties tea-drinking to "The Land of Tea." Rattan chairs, also Asian in origin, evoke a style of early 20th century tea room decor more commonly found in California than in England.]] | [[File:Priors-Manse-Tea-House-The-Refectory-Broadway-Worchestershire-Engalnd-RPPC-postcard-front.jpg|center|600px|thumb|The Refectory, Prior's Manse Tea House, Broadway, Worcestershire, England. The fireplace in the lower room, the manse's former dining hall, is almost identical to the one above. Again no fire is lit, but here we see why -- the beautiful vase of blooming white roses in the window sill and the floral sprays on the tables and mantelpiece show this photo to have been taken in summer, on a sunny day. As above, a show of china-ware decorates the mantel, and in this image it more clearly seems to be in the much-loved Blue Willow pattern, which, with its Asian theme, ties tea-drinking to "The Land of Tea." Rattan chairs, also Asian in origin, evoke a style of early 20th century tea room decor more commonly found in California than in England.]] | ||
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<i><b>catherine yronwode</b><br>curator, historian, and docent | <i><b>catherine yronwode</b><br>curator, historian, and docent | ||
<br><b>The Mystic Tea Room</b></i> | <br><b>The Mystic Tea Room</b></i> |
Latest revision as of 02:36, 9 February 2023
England Tea Room Gallery, in alphabetical order by name of city or town.
In this installment of "From the Land of Tea," we take a sneak-peek look at an upcoming page that will eventually be on display to the public. As a Patreon supporter, you have access to the page one full year before the public does.
- Patreon Release Date: November 28th, 2021.
- Public Release Date: November 28th, 2022.
Please tell your friends that they can subscribe to my Patreon stream for $2.00 per week:
Patrons: To discuss this and other Patreon pages with me, join my private Patreon Forum:
Today's topic is again Tea Rooms by Location. These are old postcards, and each one has a caption explaining it, and some have additional text. These images will eventually be on display at the Mystic Tea Room web site. As a Patreon supporter, you have access to them one full year before the public does.
To place this work in context, please read the following introductory pages
Contents |
England
English tea rooms are among the oldest found outside of Asia. Their popularity predated the great Tea Room craze of 1895 to 1945, but like their American counterparts, they were often retrofitted into historical buildings, including cottages, houses, barns, granaries, mills, inns, taverns, and hotels. Because England is a region of cold and damp winters, these older buildings were often outfitted with fireplaces in every room, and thus, in England at least, a fireplace was to be found in almost every tea room.
The word most often used to describe such tea rooms is "cozy" -- and cozy is a word whose literal meaning is "warm." When postcards were made to publicize such local tea rooms, it was quite natural for the photographer to focus on the fireplace or to feature it prominently in the composition.
Not all of the tea room postcards in this lot are interior views, but those that are often contain fireplaces. Many of these cards are also RPPCs -- real photo postcards.
Cornwall
Penzance
Polperro
Devon
Braunton
Moretonhampstead
Woolacombe
Gloucestershire
Tewkesbury
Greater London
London
Hampshire
Beaulieu
Burley
Ringwood
Kent
Hildenborough
Maidstone
Surrey
Epsom
Sussex
Alfriston
"Possibly in Sussex"
Wealden
Warwickshire
Kenilworth
Worcestershire
Broadway
catherine yronwode
curator, historian, and docent
The Mystic Tea Room