The way it was meant to be….

According to legend, one of Queen Victoria’s (1819-1901) ladies-in-waiting, Anna Maria Stanhope (1783-1857), the Duchess of Bedford, is credited as the creator of afternoon teatime. The noon meal had become noticeably skimpier and the Duchess suffered from a “sinking feeling” each day at four o’clock in the afternoon.

At first the Duchess had her servants sneak her a pot of tea and a few breadstuffs. Adopting the European tea service format, she invited friends to join her for an additional meal at five o’clock in her room at Belvoir Castle. The menu centred around small cakes, bread and butter sandwiches, assorted sweets, and of course, tea.

This summer practice proved so popular, the Duchess continued it when she returned to London, sending cards to her friends asking them to join her for “tea and a stroll in the fields”

The custom of inviting friends to come for tea in the afternoon was quickly adopted, by other social hostesses.

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