Participant Information -

Ringtons is a popular brand of tea, coffee and

biscuits. Ringtons customers can have their refreshments delivered to their front door. This is a popular tradition, especially in the North East.

The Ringtons story -

In 1907 Samuel Smith moved from Leeds to Newcastle. With a Loan of £250 from William Tittering, he started selling tea from a horse and cart.

The business was successful and in 1908 he needed 4 horses and 2 assistants! By 1914 Samuel bought out Tittering.

In the 1920s the company opened a new headquarters in Byker, Newcastle and bought two motorised vehicles to support with delivery.

1949 Samuel passed away and his 2 sons took

on running the business. In 1954 most of Ringtons vehicles were motorised vehicles.

Today Ringtons has 220,000 customers and 24 hubs across country.

Ringtons tea pot and decorative plate

How to use-

Students can view objects and discuss about similar objects within their culture.

Places to visit -

Ringtons head office is in the original building built in 1924 nearly 100 years old located at Algernon Rd, Byker, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 2YN

Activities -

Borrow our Georgian tea tasting activity or Homelife Museum objects handling boxes free from Discovery Museum, Blandford

Cultural Connectors -

Do you have different tea drinking traditions you can share?

(To help set the context of the topic)

The History -

Afternoon tea is a quintessentially English tradition that has been enjoyed for centuries. Although tea has been a popular beverage in China for over 3,000 years, the "afternoon tea" concept was only introduced to England in the mid-19th century.

Beloved by the aristocracy and high society, afternoon tea was considered a luxurious social event. Women would dress in their finest gowns, gloves, and hats and gather in the drawing room to enjoy a selection of dainty sandwiches, scones, and cakes, all served on delicate bone china plates.

Things Today -

Unfortunately, the tradition of afternoon tea has been somewhat lost. Many people settle for a simple biscuit, a tiny cake, and a cup of tea, often made from a tea bag. This is a shame; authentic afternoon tea is a delightful experience that should be savoured and cherished.

For the Future -

So why not bring back the tradition of afternoon tea in all its glory? Set aside some time to indulge in a delicious spread of sandwiches, scones, and cakes, all accompanied by a steaming pot of freshly brewed tea.

You will feel like royalty, and it's a great way to catch up with friends or family. Afternoon tea is more than just a meal; it celebrates English culture and tradition.

(Optional activity to encourage students to participate in an English cultural experience).

Afternoon Tea party -

1. Invite students to partake in a tea party.

2. For food - provide scones, butter, clotted cream, jam, sandwiches and small cakes.

3. For beverages - provide Ringtons tea bags (Pumfrey's coffee or Ringtons coffee bags for non-tea drinkers), milk and sugar.

4. Decorations and rearranging the classroom for tea party will add an advantage to the whole cultural experience.

The Guide to Afternoon Tea Etiquette -

(Encourage students to read this text and engage in discussions with those at their table)

• Dress appropriately.

Most afternoon tea spots have a smart casual dress code. You don’t have to go decked out in a party dress, but stay away from jeans and sneakers. You should look neat and put together.

• Keep phones off the table.

Phones, glasses, and other personal items shouldn’t be on the table. Instead, place them on your chair to your left or right.

• Put your pinkie finger down.

Should the pinkie be up or down when sipping tea? DOWN. The proper way to hold a teacup is to hold the handle with the pinkie finger down, never up.

• Hold the teacup by the handle.

Don’t cup your hands around the teacup. The teacup should only be held by the handle. (with the pinkie finger down.)

• Stir up and down, not in circles.

Move your teaspoon up and down (6 pm and 12 am), gently folding in the sugar or milk. Making noise with the teaspoon is frowned upon, so make sure your spoon doesn’t clang and touch the sides of the teacup. Also, don’t tap your teaspoon on the side of the teacup.

• Don’t drink from your teacup with the teaspoon in it.

After you’ve stirred your tea, put your teaspoon on the saucer either on the right side or behind the cup. Whew, ok, now you can drink your tea. As a general rule, don’t leave your teaspoon in your teacup.

• Don’t put the teaspoon in your mouth.

As funny as that sounds, the teaspoon shouldn’t go in your mouth. It’s there to stir the tea if you add sugar or milk.

• The saucer stays on the table.

When you’re sitting at the table, there’s no need to lift the saucer to drink from your teacup. It would be proper to pick up the saucer if you’re more than a foot away from it, as in the case you were standing. Then, the saucer would be held on your left hand and the cup on the right.

• Don’t blow on the tea to cool it down

Let the tea cool on its own if it’s too hot. Don’t blow on the tea.

• Take small sips of tea.

Don’t make loud slurps when drinking your tea. Take small, quiet sips. Yup, doing everything quietly is a common etiquette rule.

• Don’t swish your mouth with tea.

Your tea isn’t a mouth rinse. (even if you do it quietly.) Don’t swish the tea around your mouth. 

• Use milk and sugar only for black tea.

Only use milk and sugar for black tea — never green, oolong, white, or herbal tea.

• Eat with your fingers.

Not often do you get to eat food with your fingers, but that’s the proper etiquette for afternoon tea. Don’t be shy about eating everything from tea sandwiches to mini sweets with your hands. Use a knife for clotted cream and jam for scones.

• Tea sandwiches are eaten first.

Afternoon tea comes in three courses — usually all at once on a three-tiered tray. Eat the savouries and tea sandwiches first. Scones with clotted cream and jam are eaten next, then the sweets. Tea sandwiches should be eaten in 2-3 bites. Don’t jam the entire sandwich in your mouth.

• Break the scone into small pieces.

Break a bite-sized piece off the scone, slather on clotted cream and jam using a knife, then eat and repeat. Please don’t make a scone sandwich. On the table should be little bowls filled with clotted cream, preserves/jams and lemon curd. These little pots are for the table, so no dipping your knife into them or, even worse, dipping your scone directly into the container. Instead, use the spoons provided (usually right next to the little bowls) to scoop small portions onto your plate.

Put the spoons back, as they don’t belong on your plate. Try not to cross-contaminate, and use a different spoon for each condiment.  Feel free to go in for a second serving of jam and cream if you’ve finished what’s on your plate.

• Never dunk your scone into tea.

I have never seen anyone do this, but apparently, people do. Scones should never be dunked into your tea.

• Used utensils don’t go back to the table; wait.

Where do the utensils go? Once a flatware has been used, rest it on the right side of the plate. Do not put it back on the table.

• Don’t lick your fingers.

Nope. Don’t. Do. It.

• Dab, don’t wipe.

Don't treat the napkin like a towel when you want to wipe away something from your face. Dab, don’t wipe.

• Place utensils on the plate in the 4:20 position when tea service is over.

Putting any utensils you’ve used in the 4:20 position lets the server know you’re done with your meal and that it can be taken away. Fork tines should be up, and the knife blade facing you.  When you don’t want your plate taken away, put your utensils at 8:20 with the fork (tines down) at 8:00 and knife (blade facing you) at 20.

• Place napkins on the left side of the place setting when getting up.

There is some debate on this. I’ve read that some say never to place a used napkin on the table and that it should only go on your chair. Others say it should never be placed on the chair and only on the table. I’m going with leaving the napkin on the left side of the place setting since if you have a dirty napkin, you don’t want to leave any stains on the seat. Either way, don’t put the napkin on your plate.

Available at: https://www.ohhowcivilized.com/afternoon-tea-etiquette/

Word Search -

Use the pictures as clues to answer the word search.

Word Clues -

Afternoon sandwiches

Cream dunk

Cakes

Pinkie

Cup and saucer

Scone napkin

Teaspoon

Pair Activity -

• Students are to work in pairs.

• Watch the video and answer the following questions.

“AFTERNOON TEA ETIQUETTE”

1. Name the company Jane is from.

2. How should you put your napkin on your lap?

3. What kind of tea gives the best flavour – tea leaves or tea bags?

4. What should you offer to do when you are with other people?

5. Milk first or tea first? What is the “done thing”?

6. Do you pick up ONLY the cup or the cup AND the saucer?

7. The little finger in or out?

8. What is the “posh” way to stir your tea?

9. Why forward and back?

10. What should you NOT do with your teaspoon?

11. Should you put your elbows on the table? Where should your elbows be?

12. Where should you put your hands when not using them?

13. How do you open your scone?

14. What is etiquette?

15. What does the Cornish say, cream second or first

16. Where should you put your cream and jam?

17. How should you NOT eat a scone?

18. What does “dab” mean?

• This workbook provides classroom activities that can enhance students' learning experience.

• The goal is to make learning more interactive and collaborative.

• While activity two is an optional component that requires funding, it can provide an exceptional learning experience for students.

• Without funding, it is possible to ask students to contribute by sharing and bringing in resources.

Conclusion -

• Despite being an intermediate-level workbook, the activities can be modified to accommodate the needs of both bibinners and advanced students.

• These adjustments may match the skill level at which the student is operating, making the workbook a versatile tool for many learners.

Answers -

Activity 4

“AFTERNOON TEA ETIQUETTE”

1. Name the company Jane is from. _{The English Cream Tea Company}

2. How should you put your napkin on your lap? _{Folded, with the fold upwards}

3. What kind of tea gives the best flavour – tea leaves or tea bags? _Leaves

4. What should you offer to do when you are with other people? _{Pour their tea first}

5. Milk first or tea first, what is the “done thing”? _{Tea first}

6. Do you pick up ONLY the cup or the cup AND the saucer? _{It depends on the height of the table – If it is a low table, pick up the cup and saucer}

7. The little finger in or out? - _In

8. What is the “posh” way to stir your tea? _{Forward and back, not round and round}

9. Why forward and back? _{The motion “crushes” the cubes “and does the job.”}

10. What should you NOT do with your teaspoon? - _{Tap it on the rim of the cup}

11. Should you put your elbows on the table? Where should your elbows be? _{On your lap}

12. Where should you put your hands when not using them? _{On your lap}

13. How do you open your scone? -  _{Break it, not cut it. DON’T (turn it on its side and saw with the knife)}

14. What is etiquette? _{“About politeness and looking after other people”}

15. What does the Cornish say, cream second or first? _2nd

16. Where should you put your cream and jam? _{On the side of your plate}

17. How should you NOT eat a scone? _{Don’t eat it like a burger/sandwich – eat each half separately, both with jam and cream}

18. What does “dab” mean? _{Using a napkin}

• Ringtons Tea, coffee and biscuits have been delivered to customers' doors since it was established in 1907.

• Customers can book a free personal delivery and join their "communi-tea" of local Ringtons tea drinkers.

Activity 1 -

Discussion -

Students can be encouraged to work in groups of three or more and discuss tea traditions within their countries.

Points to consider -

• Does your country have a tea tradition? For example, The Japanese tea ceremony, Thai Iced Tea, Chinese Gongfu tea ceremony, Yerba Mate of Argentina and Turkish Chai.

• Is drinking tea popular within your culture?

• What types of hot beverages are available in your country?

• How do you like your tea served?