Have you heard of the tea room movement? This International Women’s Day, we wanted to take a walk back through history to explore how tea played a key role in women’s liberation.
As a proudly female-founded tea company, we strive to create a space that values respect, fairness, & community in today’s world, and spreads happiness through the power of a cuppa. It’s so important to look back at the women who have come before us, acknowledging their incredible impact and to continue that legacy.
The early 20th century was a time of remarkable change, particularly for women seeking to carve out new roles outside the confines of traditional gender expectations.
In both the United States & the United Kingdom, women were not only the primary consumers of tea rooms but, more importantly, they were the ones who owned & operated them. The rise of these women-owned businesses was quiet yet revolutionary, allowing women to create a safe space where they could financially support themselves.
The idea of the tea room is often imagined as a charming, cosy space, with vintage decor & the clink of fine china. However, the significance of these tea rooms goes far beyond their pretty aesthetic. The tea room represented brave women who entered the workforce without disrupting the domestic roles that society expected of them. In a time when women were still restricted from dining alone in regular restaurants, tea rooms offered a refuge… a space where women could sit, chat & enjoy a meal without needing a male escort.
The decor, often inspired by the comforts of home, created an atmosphere that felt less like a restaurant & more like an extension of the home. This made tea rooms an ideal place for single women, widows & even teachers who wished to work during the summer.
All these years later, tea continues to bring people together, creating moments of connection, safety & tranquillity.
On International Women’s Day, we can reflect on how these early tea room entrepreneurs did more than just offer food & tea, creating a safe space for women & marginalised communities. Join us in raising our cuppas to the trailblazers who helped make it possible for women to dine, work & live on their own terms, and to those who continue to fight for equality, empowerment & freedom for all today.
Co-Authors: Catherine Loftus & Becci Thackray
