A brand new personal Tea History Collection has been arrange in Banbury, Oxfordshire, by U.Ok.-based entrepreneur Denys Shortt OBE (Officer of the Most Glorious Order of the British Empire). The Assortment was formally launched on Could 21 on Worldwide Tea Day, a U.N.-designated day to advertise actions in favor of the sustainable manufacturing and consumption of tea.
Photograph: Tea Ambassador Mike Bunston OBE on the Tea Historical past Assortment opening on Worldwide Tea Day, Could 21, 2021.
Shortt grew up on a tea property in Assam and his household spent 30 years within the tea business. He determined to arrange the gathering over a yr in the past, whereas working with the London Tea Historical past Affiliation. The power is function constructed and features a full tea tasting counter, a library of books and paperwork regarding tea and its associations, a spacious assembly space and archive cabinets for historic objects – all temperature managed.
Photograph: Courtesy of the Tea Historical past Assortment
“I’ve been working with the London Tea Historical past Affiliation for a number of years, the place we have now erected three historical past plaques in London on vital tea buildings,” stated Shortt. “We felt that there was a necessity for a spot to retailer vital historic tea objects, and so I supplied my enterprise premises, DCS Group in Banbury.”
In only a few months of making ready the gathering, Shortt and his crew acquired many donations from folks within the tea business. “We now have over 500 objects within the museum – with vital books, attention-grabbing tea objects and even some tea samples relationship again to 1904,” he stated.
Photograph: Early 1900s Tea Kettle on the Tea Historical past Assortment
Tea Historical past Assortment envisions that associated organizations will likely be invited to make the most of The Tea Historical past Assortment assets, such because the etiquette of Afternoon Tea with The English Method, based by fellow London Tea History Association member Alexandra Messervy, who lately curated a socially-distanced Tea Historical past Stroll round London, which will likely be inaugurated with The Culture Concierge in mid-summer.
Photograph: Tea Pattern Drawers/Cupboard on the Tea Historical past Assortment
The Tea Historical past Assortment was formally opened by Tea Ambassador Mike Bunston OBE, throughout a non-public ceremony (as a result of COVID-19 restrictions).