A TIMELINE OF TEA AND COFFEE
By Tim Lambert
2737 BC According to legend tea is discovered by the Chinese emperor Shen Nung
1000 AD According to legend coffee is discovered around this time
c 1450 Coffee is drunk in the Yemen
c 1550 Coffee is drunk in Turkey and Persia
1610 The Dutch introduce tea into Europe
1651 A coffee house opens in Oxford
1652 A coffee house opens in London
1657 Tea is first recorded in England
1658 Tea is advertised in England as China drink
1662 King Charles II marries Catherine of Braganza. She makes drinking tea fashionable.
1689 The first coffee houses open in North America
1773 The Boston tea party takes place in the North American colonies
1776 A law is passed in Britain against adulterating tea
1784 The tax on tea in Britain is greatly reduced
1839 Tea from India is first sold in Britain
1865 The first American coffee percolator is patented
1901 Instant coffee is invented
1903 Decaffeinated coffee is invented
1904 Iced tea is sold at the St Louis Worlds Fair
1908 The coffee filter is invented
1938 Freeze dried coffee is invented
1940 Tea rationing is introduced in Britain
1942-43 Coffee is rationed in the USA
1946 The modern espresso machine is invented
1952 Tea rationing ends in Britain
1953 Tea bags are first sold in Britain
1960 The first pump driven espresso machine is made
1962 Vacuum packing is invented