St Olave Lecture - For the Love of Tea

Join City of London guide and tea historian, Lisa Honan CBE, for a short talk exploring the extraordinary history of tea. Join City of London guide and tea historian, Lisa Honan CBE, for a short talk exploring the extraordinary history of tea - from luxury curiosity to global commodity, from police sociability to political rebellion. Candlelit Compline at St Olave Hart (5.30pm-5.50pm) - free to attend - followed by St Olave Lecture (6.30pm-7.15pm): For the Love of Tea. Tickets £5 which includes a glass of wine. St Olave Hart Street is the perfect setting for this story. The church is closely associated with Samuel Pepys, who is buried here and was one of the first people to drink tea in England. It also once held a memorial to Monkhouse Davison and Abraham Newman, Fenchurch Street grocers whose tea cargo was thrown into Boston harbour during the Boston Tea Party. Charles Dickens, too, was captivated by St Olave’s, famously describing its churchyard as “St Ghastly Grim”. He had a view of tea. This talk will reveal how a small leaf helped shape London, Britain and the wider world. Join us every month for insight, history and thoughtful conversation in the spectacular surroundings of our medieval church. Discover other talks in our programme at this link.