I recently listened to an audiobook titled "The Tea Ladies" by Amanda Hampson. This mystery novel takes place in Sydney, Australia in the 1960's. "Tea ladies Hazel, Betty and Irene become accidental sleuths, stumbling into a world of ruthless crooks and racketeers in search of a young woman believed to be in danger." Liking tea and a good mystery, I thought this would be a fun listen - which it was.
What I didn't expect was to pick up a bit of cultural history. I expected the main characters to either own or work at a tea shop. Come to find out, each of the women worked as “tea ladies” for different businesses! The main character, Hazel, works in a garment factory. She has a tea cart, or trolley, which she rolls around bringing tea, coffee, and biscuits to all the employees, from those in the factory to those in the office. Occasionally she also bakes cakes for special meetings and such. (Be still my beating heart!)
According to Wikipedia, a tea lady provides drinks in an office, factory, hospital, or other place of work. The practice began as an experiment to boost workplace efficiency and morale during WWII. It was so successful it became commonplace. The Tea Lady was an important part of office culture in the early 20th century in the United Kingdom and Australia.
Unfortunately, the practice died out in the 1970's due to the introduction of vending machines. The role of a tea attendant, beverage maker, or office kitchen worker still exists within Britain's National Health Service. The role has changed, adapting with the time to employee men as well as women, and from what I can tell is mostly used at hospitals and in government.
Author Amanda Hampson sums up the transformation of the tradition, "The tea lady is fondly remembered as more than someone who made tea. She was a beloved figure, a source of comfort. Today, we may not have tea ladies in our offices, but their legacy lives on in the tradition of the tea break."
Your "Tea Lady"
Samantha
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