The origins of Afternoon Tea and High Tea

One of Queen Victoria’s ladies-in-waiting Anna, the Duchess of Bedford, is said to have been the creator of ‘teatime’. Because lunch was traditionally served at midday, the Duchess often became peckish about four o'clock in the afternoon. The Duchess spent most summers at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire. It became common practice for friends to join the Duchess for an additional afternoon meal in her rooms at Belvoir Castle. The menu consisted of 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’ The practice of inviting friends to come for tea in the afternoon was quickly picked up by other social hostesses.

Queen Victoria adopted the new craze for tea parties. By 1855, the Queen and her ladies were in formal dress for the afternoon teas. Rather than having lots of small individual cakes a simple large cake became one the Queen's favourites. After her husband, Prince Albert, died in 1861, Queen Victoria spent time in retreat at her residence Osborn House on the Isle of Wight. According to historians, it was here that the Victoria Sponge was named after her.