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TEA DANCES
Anna, 7th Duchess of Bedford, is reputed to have
originated the idea of afternoon tea in the early 1800s. She conceived the
idea of having tea around four or five in the afternoon to ward off the
hunger pangs between lunch and dinner.
Earlier, the Earl of Sandwich had the idea of putting a
filling between two slices of bread. These habits soon became a good reason
for social gatherings, and started a trend that is still very much a part of
British life.
As the popularity of tea spread, it also became an essential part of
people's entertainment outside the home. By 1732 an evening spent dancing or
watching fireworks in Vauxhall or Ranelagh Gardens would be rounded off by
serving tea. Tea gardens then opened all over the country on Saturdays and
Sundays, with tea being served as the high point of the afternoon.
Dancing was included as part of the day's festivities, so
from the tea gardens came the idea of the tea dance, which remained
fashionable in Britain until World War II when they lost popularity.
Tea dances are still held in Britain today - these are some of the
events I found on the internet:
Eastbourne's Tea
Dances
The Winter Garden
Tea Dances
are one of the towns most established, and offers dancers the benefit of the
biggest dance floor in Eastbourne.
The ever popular Chris Mannion returns and evidence points towards The
Winter Garden Tea
Dances being the towns most established regular Tea Dance in the Town
with the discovery of a show programme by a local patron dated Wednesday
18th April, 1934 which included an advert for the Winter Garden
Tea Dances.
With the huge surge of interest in dance after the phenomenal success of
BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, patrons old and new are welcomed to the event,
so dust off those dancing shoes and come to the Winter Gardens!
Museum of Transport (Glasgow) Oral History
Project - we want your memories!
Do you remember the Coronation Trams? Do we have
your first car in the museum? If you have memories
of any of the vehicles on display in Museum of
Transport, we would love to know. We are currently
trying to collect oral testimonies specifically
related to our collection and we need your help!
Tea Dances are free.
If you would like to take part in
the project, please contact Jennifer
Webster on 0141 287 2653. |
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Reminiscence pages
