All about coffeeUkers, William H. (William Harrison)
History
All about coffee
Ukers, William H. (William Harrison)
Coffee; Coffee Industry; Drinking customs
Mention has already been made that Sir Henry Blount was spoken of as
"the father of English coffee houses" and his claim to this distinction
would seem to be a valid one, for his strong personality "stamped itself
upon the system." His favorite motto, "_Loquendum est cum vulgo,
sentiendum cum sapientibus_" (the crowd may talk about it; the wise
decide it), says Robinson, "expresses well their colloquial purpose, and
was natural enough on the lips of one whose experience had been world
wide." Aubrey says of Sir Henry Blount, "He is now neer or altogether
eighty yeares, his intellectuals good still and body pretty strong."
Women played a not inconspicuous part in establishing businesses for the
sale of the coffee drink in England, although the coffee houses were not
for both sexes, as in other European countries. The London City
_Quaeries_ for 1660 makes mention of "a she-coffee merchant." Mary
Stringar ran a coffee house in Little Trinity Lane in 1669; Anne Blunt
was mistress of one of the Turk's-Head houses in Cannon Street in 1672.
Mary Long was the widow of William Long, and her initials, together with
those of her husband, appear on a token issued from the Rose tavern in
Bridge Street, Covent Garden. Mary Long's token from the "Rose coffee
house by the playhouse" in Covent Garden is shown among the group of
coffee-house keepers' tokens herein illustrated.
_The First Newspaper Advertisement_
The first newspaper advertisement for coffee appeared, May 26, 1657, in
the _Publick Adviser_ of London, one of the first weekly pamphlets. The
name of this publication was erroneously given as the _Publick
Advertiser_ by an early writer on coffee, and the error has been copied
by succeeding writers. The first newspaper advertisement was contained
in the issue of the _Publick Adviser_ for the week of May 19 to May 26,
and read:
In _Bartholomew_ Lane on the back side of the Old Exchange, the
drink called _Coffee_, (which is a very wholsom and Physical drink,
having many excellent vertues, closes the Orifice of the Stomack,
fortifies the heat within, helpeth Digestion, quickneth the
Spirits, maketh the heart lightsom, is good against Eye-sores,
Coughs, or Colds, Rhumes, Consumptions, Head-ach, Dropsie, Gout,
Scurvy, Kings Evil, and many others is to be sold both in the
morning, and at three of the clock in the afternoon).
Chocolate was also advertised for sale in London this same year. The
issue of the _Publick Adviser_ for June 16, 1657, contained this
announcement:
In Bishopgate Street, in Queen's Head Alley, at a Frenchman's house
is an excellent West India drink called chocolate, to be sold,
where you may have it ready at any time, and also unmade at
reasonable rates.
Tea was first sold publicly at Garraway's (or Garway's) in 1657.
_Strange Coffee Mixtures_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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