| Twinings
of Twickenham
Amongst
the modest readership of this website there is a Madrileña
who is a dedicated tea drinker. Her preferred choice is
Twinings tea (which may well include those fancy modern
herbal fusions). Within the mainland European supermarket
(tourist resorts excepted) , our traditional builders
tea is not usually amongst the choices, but rather the
teas that in this country we could consider to be more
on the 'fine' side are. Today the Twinings name is synonomous
with tea and has a certain cachet that appeals to a wide
market.
It
was in 1720 that the Twining family moved to Twickenham
after Thomas Twining had for some years succesfully gone
about establishing
a tea drinking business (considered slightly avant-garde)
at their shop in the Strand. With the success of the business,
The Twining family over the generations, were able to
leave a legacy that is still very much apart of today's
Twickenham.
The
Twining family lived at Dial House from 1720 on the riverside
in Twickenham next to St. Mary's Church, which was the
Twining family's parish church and where many of the family
are buried. The house was left to the parish by Elizabeth
Twining in 1890.
Dial
House
The
house which is now the Twickenham
Museum on the embankment was also owned by Thomas
Twining, and not surprisingly the museum maintains the
history of the Twining family with due respect.
St. Mary's Church, Twickenham
Elizabeth
Twining (1805-1889) restored the almshouses in Amyand
Park Road in 1876 (the original ones are no longer there)
and in 1879 founded St. John's hospital in Strafford Road.
St.
John's Hospital
Holy
Trinity Church on Twickenham Green and Twickenham's
second parish church, owes a lot to Thomas Twining as
he donated funds for various parts of the construction
including the bell tower and the clock.
Holy
Trinity Church
Whether
your preferred tea at home is Twining's or on your travels
you are offered a cup of Twinings tea (at least one person
in Madrid thinks this the best thing an English person
can be offered), seeing the label should remind one of
Twickenham and the role the Twining family have played
in Twickenham's history. Let us not forget also it was
Thomas Twining who began the English peoples irrevocable
relationship with a cuppa tea.
Article: Arcadian Times, April 21st, 2011
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