Already by page four of her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Agatha Christie has her characters sitting down to afternoon tea. It’s certainly not an unusual event since the entire world is familiar with this cherished English stereotype, but it is amusing to count how many times Christie’s characters meet for tea.
Hastings – and readers – are first introduced to the Styles household when everyone gathers for afternoon tea under the shade of a sycamore tree because it’s “too fine a day to be cooped up.” In chapter two, afternoon tea precedes a tennis match between Hastings and Mary Cavendish and in the same chapter, Hastings has yet another tea engagement, this time with Cynthia at her dispensary. Christie’s characters are just awash in tea!
Although thoroughly associated with England, tea is certainly not grown there. Originally, tea came from China and was also cultivated in India, Africa, and South America. It is thought that Catherine of Braganza introduced England to tea-drinking. Catherine was a princess of Portugal who married Charles II of England in 1662. As the reigning queen when the district was established, there’s some argument that the New York borough of Queens was named for her.
In the 1600s, the Portuguese Colonial Empire was far-flung, encompassing much of South America, a good bit of South Africa, and considerable stretches of coastlines in India and China. The royal family of Portugal enjoyed imports from their Empire and Catherine brought tea with her as part of her marriage dowry. Favor-currying traders continued to supply tea during her reign and this expensive and exclusive hobby was taken up by others in the court.
Tea-drinking continued to be a popular habit of the aristocracy for the next century or so, but it wasn’t until the mid-Victorian era that afternoon teatime became an event. The story goes that it was Anna Russell, Duchess of Bedford, who started the trend.
Victorians elevated every-day dinner to be a grand occasion for showing off one’s money and one’s taste. But even with their army of domestics, elaborately prepared food served on specialized tableware to impeccably dressed diners required a lot of time. Fortunately, people could also display their wealth by artificially lighting up the night and simply dined later in the evening.
That left a big gap between luncheon and dinner when, as the Duchess put it, one had a “sinking feeling.” Anna took to having a cup of tea and some light snacks in the middle of the afternoon and often invited her women friends to join her. This opportunity for gossip combined with a caffeine boost was eagerly embraced. Even Queen Victoria herself, who was friends with the Duchess, took up the practice, making afternoon tea an accepted English ritual.
In "The Disappearance of Mr. Davenheim," Hastings and Poirot welcome Inspector Japp to sit around their tea table. It’s hard to tell what size or shape the table is, although it had to be big enough to hold at least three cups with saucers, a metal teapot, and a plate of bread and butter. Tea tables came in all sizes and shapes. Small tables might be set near each chair on which to rest a cup and a plate. Or comfortable chairs might ring a low table, much like the modern sofa and coffee table configuration. Tea served this way might include scones or other sweet dainties and was intended to promote conversation over sustenance.
“High” tea doesn’t refer to an even fancier tea, but rather to the table itself. High tea was more like a hearty meal instead of just a slice of cake, so it was served on a higher table that sturdy chairs could be pulled up to for serious eating. Easier to prepare than a hot dinner, working folk tended to make this their last meal of the day. The gentry, of course, would still be sitting down to a long formal dinner in a couple of hours, after most working folk had gone to bed.
It probably won’t surprise you to know that Christie’s characters spend a good deal of time drinking tea. In fact, there are numerous tea parties in the books from the 1920s as well as many random cups of tea. Only one book does not mention tea – Murder on the Links. Perhaps that’s because most of the action takes place in France and not in England!
Photo by Lisa Fotios