Municipal budget educational institution

«Secondary General Education School №5»

English

The history of tea in Great

Britain

Desiatkov Danil
student of 10th grade

Startseva T. N.
English teacher

Chernushka, 2022
 Contents
Introduction………………………………………………………………………...3
1. Theoretical part ……………………………………………………………….....4
1.1. The beginning of the story of tea………………………………………………4
1.2. Appearance of the tea in Great Britain…………………….….……………….5
1.3. Customs and Traditions associated with Tea……….…………………………6
1.4. Types of tea………………………………………………..…….…………….7
1.5. Making the perfect cup………………………………………………………..8
1.6. Conclusions on the theoretical part…………………………………………..10
2. Practical part ………………………………………………………...................11
Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………..13
List of literature ………………………………………………………………..…14

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 Introduction
In our time the knowledge of foreign languages is necessary for everyone
who wants to be known as a well-educated person. However, the knowledge of a
language is important not only for the communication but for studying different
cultures.
It’s impossible to get a true understanding of Great Britain without getting to
know its culture and traditions. Tea-drinking traditions are the most outstanding
ones. The British - one of the nations who drink much tea in the world: they drink
120,000,000 cups of tea daily according to the research by UK Tea Council!
I suppose the subject is actual because the additional knowledge about
country’s culture of the language you study will help you understand this country
better.
Purpose of the project: to collect the most interesting facts about tea
history and traditions of England and compile the information into a single report.
Project tasks:
1. Learn the available information on this topic in the Internet;
2. Conduct a survey among the students of 7th and 10th grades;
3. Systematize the material to use at English lessons;
4. Make a presentation of the leaflet.
Practical significance of the project. The results of the project will inform
students about the history of tea and its traditions in British culture, the material
will be interesting and useful to all students who study English.

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 1. Theoretical part
1.1. The beginning of the story of tea
Tea is often thought of as being a quintessentially British drink, and we have
been drinking it for over 350 years. But in fact the history of tea goes much further
back.
The story of tea begins in China. According to legend, in 2737 BC, the
Chinese emperor Shen Nung was sitting beneath a tree while his servant boiled
drinking water, when some leaves from the tree blew into the water. Shen Nung, a
renowned herbalist, decided to try the infusion that his servant had accidentally
created. The tree was a Camellia sinensis, and the resulting drink was what we now
call tea.
It is impossible to know whether there is any truth in this story. But tea
drinking certainly became established in China many centuries before it had even
been heard of in the west. Containers for tea have been found in tombs dating from
the Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) but it was under the Tang dynasty (618-906
AD), that tea became firmly established as the national drink of China. It became
such a favourite that during the late eighth century a writer called Lu Yu wrote the
first book entirely about tea, the Ch'a Ching, or Tea Classic. It was shortly after
this that tea was first introduced to Japan, by Japanese Buddhist monks who had
travelled to China to study. Tea drinking has become a vital part of Japanese
culture, as seen in the development of the Tea Ceremony, which may be rooted in
the rituals described in the Ch'a Ching.
So at this stage in the history of tea, Europe was rather lagging behind. In the
latter half of the sixteenth century there are the first brief mentions of tea as a drink
among Europeans. These are mostly from Portuguese who were living in the East
as traders and missionaries. But although some of these individuals may have
brought back samples of tea to their native country, it was not the Portuguese who
were the first to ship back tea as a commercial import. This was done by the Dutch,
who in the last years of the sixteenth century began to encroach on Portuguese
trading routes in the East. By the turn of the century they had established a trading
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post on the island of Java, and it was via Java that in 1606 the first consignment of
tea was shipped from China to Holland. Tea soon became a fashionable drink
among the Dutch, and from there spread to other countries in continental Western
Europe, but because of its high price it remained a drink for the wealthy.
1.2. Appearance of the tea in Great Britain
Britain, always a little suspicious of continental trends, had yet to become
the nation of tea drinkers that it is today. Since 1600, the British East India
Company had a monopoly on importing goods from outside Europe, and it is likely
that sailors on these ships brought tea home as gifts. But the first dated reference to
tea in this country is from an advert in a London newspaper, Mercurius Politicus,
from September 1658. It announced that 'China Drink, called by the Chinese, Tcha,
by other Nations Tay alias Tee' was on sale at a coffee house in Sweeting's Rents
in the City. The first coffee house had been established in London in 1652, and the
terms of this advert suggest that tea was still somewhat unfamiliar to most readers,
so it is fair to assume that the drink was still something of a curiosity. It was the
marriage of Charles II to Catherine of Braganza that would prove to be a turning
point in the history of tea in Britain. She was a Portuguese princess, and a tea
addict, and it was her love of the drink that established tea as a fashionable
beverage first at court, and then among the wealthy classes as a whole. Capitalising
on this, the East India Company began to import tea into Britain, its first order
being placed in 1664 - for 100lbs of China tea to be shipped from Java.
But as the tea auction declined, an essential element of modern tea-drinking
took off - the tea bag. Tea bags were invented in America in the early twentieth
century, but sales only really took off in Britain in the 1970s. Nowadays it would
be hard for many tea-drinkers to imagine life without them. Such is the British
enthusiasm for tea that even after the dismantling of the Empire, British companies
continue to play a leading role in the world's tea trade and British brands dominate
the world market. With recent scientific research indicating that tea drinking may
have direct health benefits, it is assured that for centuries to come there will be a
place at the centre of British life for a nice cup of tea.
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1.3. Customs and Traditions associated with Tea
Tea is an important drink for the Britons at work. In the past there was a
special job called Tea Lady – those were ladies responsible for brewing tea for the
employees. These days workers simply drink tea brewing tea bags of from the
drink dispensers. Although the modern working arrangements slightly changed the
tea drinking format, nevertheless the 20-minute break for lunch for which every
worker is entitled, is called a tea break. They even drink tea in the army; although a
drink which is called GunFire is served there with addition of rum.
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.
Some time 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.
For the working and farming communities, afternoon tea became high tea.
As the main meal of the day, high tea was a cross between the delicate afternoon
meal enjoyed in the ladies' drawing rooms and the dinner enjoyed in houses of the
gentry at seven or eight in the evening. With the meats, bread and cakes served at
high tea, hot tea was taken.
In 1864 the manageress of an Aerated Bread Company shop persuaded her
directors to allow her to serve food and liquid refreshments in the shop. She
dispensed tea to her more favoured customers and soon attracted many clients
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clamouring for the same service. Not only did she start the fashion for tea shops
but also unwittingly laid one of the foundations for women's emancipation, since
an unchaperoned lady could meet friends in a tea shop without sullying her
reputation. Tea shops spread throughout Britain, becoming as much a tradition as
tea itself: and even today, despite the plethora of fast food and drink outlets, this
tradition remains, attracting huge numbers of UK and foreign tourists.
1.4. Types of tea
All tea comes from only one plant called Camellia sinensis. However, based
on the type of tea leaves picked and the level of oxidation or processing, tea is
classified into five main types: Black, Green, Oolong, White, and Pu-erh.
Black tea is the most common type of tea accounting for up to 85% of total
tea consumption in the western world. Black tea is fully oxidized and has a darker
appearance, stronger flavour, and higher caffeine content compared to other teas.
The caffeine content in black tea is still around half the level of coffee. Often black
teas can be consumed with sugar, milk, or lemon and offer some of the same health
benefits as other teas.
Green tea is «unoxidized» tea. The leaves are heated soon after picking in
order to destroy the enzymes that cause oxidation. This type of processing
preserves a high level of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals accounting for the
various health benefits of green tea. The infusion is pale greenish-yellow in color
and tastes light and grassy. It is best consumed without any additives, although
some people may prefer to add lemon or a sweetener but not milk.
Oolong tea is semi-oxidized, so the leaf is allowed to sit for maybe 2-4
hours, before being heated up to halt oxidization. The amount of oxidation affects
the flavour and appearance of the tea. Longer oxidization results in a darker oolong
which is more similar in taste to a black tea, while shorter oxidization makes it
more similar in nature to green tea. When steeped, Oolong tea produces golden or
light brown tea with a very delicate flavour resembling neither black nor green tea.
White tea is the least processed of all teas. Only the unopened buds and
young leaves covered in silver fuzz are used, and they are merely withered and
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dried. White tea produces a very light-colored infusion with a mild flavour. Its
caffeine content is even lower than that of green tea and is considered to have a
very high level of antioxidants. White tea is best consumed without any additives
at all.
Pu-erh tea is a special type of tea that comes from the Yunan province of
China and is known for its earthy flavour. It is made out of tea plucked from wild
tea trees rather than cultivated bushes and the leaves go through microbial
fermentation by pressing the raw leaves together and then storing them for
maturity. Pu-erh tea can be either black or green depending on the level of
oxidation allowed in the process.
Flavoured teas are created by adding flowers, herbs, fruits, and other natural
flavours to black, green, or oolong teas. Some of the more common types of
flavoured teas include: Earl Grey, Jasmine tea, Masala Chai. The world of
flavoured tea is limited only to the imagination of tea blenders. Some of the more
creative examples of flavoured teas include Divine Elixir or Lemon Ginger tea.
In addition to the above, herbal infusions from other plants are also
sometimes referred to as tea, although not to the purists. The correct term for any
non-tea beverage is tisane or just herbal infusion. Examples include fruit teas,
flower teas and leaf teas.
1.5. Making the perfect cup
The existence of a Chinese tea ceremony is well-known everywhere. Yet
there is a similar custom in Britain. Traditionally tea is prepared according to
several rules: The tea should be filled with fresh water – to ensure the necessary
amount of oxygen for the tea leaves. It is necessary to boil water until the rolling
boil, otherwise the tea will not infuse properly. The teapot should be rinsed with
the hot water, the water is poured out and then dry tea leaves or a tea bag are
placed into the tea pot; then we pour a new potion of the boiled water over the
leaves. Then we allow the tea to brew for 2-5 minutes. Once tea has gained the
appropriate strength, we may draw the tea bags out of the tea pot. According to the
rules, the host/hostess of the ceremony offers the guests milk and sugar. The
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capacity of the tea pot should be sufficient to serve all guests. Hot water could be
added into the tea pot but one should never add it directly into the cup.
But for as long as people have been drinking tea there’s been a debate over
whether the milk or the tea goes in the cup first. So which is it? Back in the early
days, milk was apparently added to delicate fine china to prevent the cups from
cracking, but once tougher porcelain began being made it became unnecessary and
more a matter of snobbery. Scientists have waded in on the matter too, with a
doctor at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom declaring putting milk
in after the boiling water was wrong as it caused the milk to heat unevenly, making
some of the proteins change structure and influencing the taste. And if that’s not
reason enough, it can save time too - by putting milk in first you can put it back in
the fridge, wait for the jug to boil and then pour your perfect cup. Some people
think different. Teapots aren’t used as widely as they once were, and the
convenience (and deliciousness) of being able to chuck a teabag into a mug to
brew on the run can’t be understated. And when cold milk and teabags combine,
the temperature of the water lowers, stopping the tea brewing as well as it should.
Finally, it makes it much easier to judge the strength if you wait until it’s reached
the perfect colour of brown before you add your splash of milk. So, the
conclusion? It depends. For all the debates it’s pretty simple – it really comes
down to your own taste preferences and the way you make it.
When it comes to choosing the right teapot to steep your tea in, it may boil
down to your preference, but there are certainly pros and cons to each type of pot.
There may not be a right and wrong teaware for each tea category, but there are
teapots specially designed for a particular tea type. There are four main types of
teapots.
Yixing teapots are best for oolong and pu erh teas. Over time and usage,
minerals and oils from the Yixing influence the flavors of the tea. In fact, the
teapot becomes denser after each use, so you can eventually steep tea shorter
because the flavors are already absorbed within the walls of the Yixing. Each

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Yixing must only be used for one tea because the interior of the pot is unglazed. If
you steep Orchid Oolong, you should always make that tea in that Yixing.
Glass teapots such as our Kinto Glass Tea Pot retain heat evenly. Since it is
transparent, you can watch the tea leaves unfurl and determine by color when to
stop steeping. This is the ideal pot for blooming teas but great for all tea types, so
you can see the leaves unravel and flowers blossom. However, because glass is so
delicate, it is prone to breakage and may stain on the spout. To prevent breaking, it
is recommended to hand wash.
Ceramic teapots like the Leaves to Tea Ceramic Teapot by Kinto are perfect
for all tea types. Ceramic teapots are sturdy and easy to clean for food service.
Since the inside is coated or glazed, this teapot is easier to clean and doesn't impact
the flavor of the tea. Ceramic pots also retain heat well, so they will keep the tea
warm for a longer period of time.
Cast iron teapots retain and maintain heat for a long time. They were
originally used to hold hot water. Cast iron is good for all tea types because it
infuses evenly. The only downside is the rim can develop rust over time. You can
clean rust by rubbing a used tea leaf in the rusted area.
1.6. Conclusions on the theoretical part
Having studied the theoretical part of the project, I've learned a lot of
interesting information about the origins of the tea in England and types of it, as
well as traditions of tea-drinking.

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 2. Practical part

After studying the theory I started the practical part. I started my work with
the following. First of all I conducted a survey among the students of 7 th and 10th
grades to find out how much they know about history and traditions of tea-drinking
in England. Students had to answer if the given statements are true. Survey
contained such statements as «Afternoon tea and five-o’clock tea mean the
same» (true), «Tea was brought to England in the 16 th century» (false), «The
British grow tea on their own» (true), «The British drink 6 cups of tea daily»
(false), «All types of tea come from only one plant called Camellia sinensis»
(true). 20 students took part in this survey.
8

4 7th grade
10th grade
3

0
1st statement 2nd statement 3rd statement 4th statement 5th statement

After analyzing the results of the survey I can conclude that students of 7 th
grade are not sufficiently aware of the features of English tea-drinking.
I completed my work of compiling a leaflet with the information about the
history of tea in Great Britain. I used the following algorithm to make this leaflet:
1. I formulated the contents of the leaflet.
2. I included in it information about the history of tea in Great Britain.
3. I formulated the number of pages and the format of the leaflet. For this I used
the Microsoft Office Publisher program.
4. I chose the font and the base color for the illustrations and decorative elements.
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5. I determined the number of leaflet (circulation). I released 10 copies.
The material in the leaflet will inform students about the history of tea and
its traditions in English culture, the material will be interesting and useful to all
students who study English.

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 Conclusion
Having finished my project, I came to the conclusion that additional
knowledge about country’s culture of the language you study will help you
understand this country better.
I think I was able to achieve the purpose of the project, as during this work I
studied the history of tea in Great Britain, discovered the most popular tea
traditions in English culture, identified the most common types of tea, checked up
students’ knowledge on this topic, compiled a leaflet with the most interesting and
useful information about tea.

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 List of literature

1) http://www.multitran.ru /
2) http://englishgid.ru/jiznvanglii/obraz-jizni/oclocktea.html
3) http://greenfieldtea.co.uk/
4) http://www.ahmadtea.com/
5) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_in_the_United_Kingdom

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