A pillar of the economy for 300 years
It is probably unique for a family to run a shop for 300 years on the same site. When Thomas Twining bought Tom’s Coffee House on The Strand in 1706, tea-drinking was relatively new. Charles II’s Portuguese bride introduced it in the 1660s, when the diarist Pepys recorded »I did send for a cup of tee (a China drink) of which I never had drank before«. The new beverage got a foothold in the established coffee houses. In 1717, Thomas Twining extended his coffee house, now called The Golden Lion, and soon sold more tea than coffee, much of it in the form of loose leaves for consumption off the premises.
During the 18th century tea became popular, despite opposition. »The deleterious produce of China« supposedly harmed the health and weakened the work ethic of the lower classes. High duties were imposed and smuggling flourished, but tea became Britain’s national drink, of course, and historians have recently claimed that the introduction of tea breaks during the Industrial Revolution increased output by refreshing the workers.
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Address 216 Strand, WC2R 1AP | Public Transport Temple (Circle, District Line) | Hours Mon–Fri 9.30am–7.30pm, Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 10.30am–4.30pm| Tip The stunning interior of Lloyds Bank (222 Strand) with its painted tiles and decorative plasterwork dates from 1883, when it was a restaurant.
The Twining family sold fine blends to the upper classes. In 1787 they added the golden lion and figures of two Chinese that still adorn the doorway. In the 19th century the firm continued to prosper, and contested with Jacksons of Piccadilly the question of who first marketed Earl Grey tea. Today the long, narrow shop is a combination of retail outlet, museum, and tea parlour. Customers can sample many exotic varieties – in homage to recent trends, green tea and fruit teas are also on offer – and view a little exhibition about company history, including porcelain cups, teapots, photos and historic packaging. Twinings now belongs to a multinational food company, but a 10th-generation member of the family has a management role, and business continues under a logo that is claimed to be the world’s oldest in continuous use.
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