'Horniman's Tea Company' was founded in 1826 by trader John Horniman. Until 1826, only loose-leaf teas had been sold, allowing unscrupulous traders to increase profits by adding other items such as hedge clippings or dust. Horniman revolutionised the tea trade by using mechanical devices to speed the process of filling pre-sealed packages. In the 1870s, the business was taken over by his son, Frederick John Horniman (1835–1906), who subsequently invested much of his fortune in social causes. He founded and built the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill, south London, to house his various collections. Today the museum houses some 350,000 items. In 1918, Frederick's son, Emslie Horniman, sold the business to J. Lyons & Co. United States distribution ended in 1993. However, Horniman's Tea remains a popular brand of tea and infusions in Spain and Uruguay. As seen in the photo, the lid bears the date 1826, and the inside of the lid contains instructions on how to prepare tea. The red tin box is decorated with oriental themes: a woman in a red-and-white dress and the emblem of a dragon on the sides.
mmr-00185 > Tin of Horniman’s Tea, Tin, 10.5 x 5 cm, 20th century
You can see this exhibit up close, along with many others, in the 3rd-floor exhibition room of CVAR.
