What Man's Tea?

Couldn't let this one pass. What were they thinking of? Tea is a man's drink. Since when was it not? Maybe there was some old myth that women sat around drinking endless pots of tea and men guzzled beer. Now I've always taken it as read that tea was for all classes and all genders. You put the milk in first, or after was the seperating class factor. I drop it in after the tea is poured - that's habit and logistics of measurement.

The illustration dates from the 1920's. You have a seated man in a suit, tie and moustache being served a brew from the hands of a women. Then you get a paraphrase from Robert Burns "Epistle to Dr. Blacklock" (1789). The real verse reads somewhat different and with a different meaning
 "But to conclude my silly rhyme
(I'm scant o' verse and scant o' time):
To make a happy fireside clime to weans and wife,
That's the true pathos and sublime of human life."
I'll sign off with....."The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there." Those immortal lines from the Go-Between by L.P. Hartley (1953). This is days of loose tea sold in 4 oz packets (113 gms) in that foreign country.

Illustration from People's Year Book 1926.

Under the Railway Arch

There was a meeting to form a co-operative wholesale society in a railway arch. I don't think any of the 50 or 60 delegates had top hats though, as illustrated here. Definitely not the attire for a working man. Muddy marshes of the Irwell river - had they never seen the brown-grey depressing trench of water that snakes its way tp fprm a boundary to the city. Oh how they stylise history back then 60 years ago and today.

The arch is on Hewlitt Street, Manchester under the railway line between Oxford Road and Deansgate. Built in 1849 as the Altrincham & South Junction Railway. Back then it was a temperance hall warmed with a smokey stove, and probably lit by oil lamps. In the 1870 street directory 89 Hewlitt Street was occupied by the British Workman Total Abstinence Society, but another organisation may have been there in 1860. There were plenty of temperance societies in Manchester in those times. Plenty of pubs doing a good trade too.

"It was a heroic way to spend Christmas. The conference was called for two o'clock and six o'clock pm on a day when trains ran as on Sundays, and at a period when a third class railway journey from Manchester to Halifax occupied at least three or four hours".

Sources : CWS Display Advert 1951. Quote from "The story of the C.W.S.; the jubilee history of the Co-operative Wholesale Society Limited, 1863-1913" by Percy Redfern. It is available at the Archives.Org

Archive Work

The rainy days drove me to seek a visit to the Co-op Archives in Manchester. Best to make an appointment. Filling in a few gaps and it opens up new avenues of inquiry. Found some more information about the Barlow Moor Mixed Guild. In 1952 they celebrated their 21st anniversary with a party on March 15th of that year.

"The board of directors presented a beautiful birthday cake for the party, which in true Barlow Moor manner was appreciated. During the past three months there have been speakers, including an address by Mr. Jenkins, of the Co-operative Party, a film show, and a discussion with Royal Oak & Baguely Guild."
Manchester & Salford Co-operative Herald Pg 136, May 1952.

The discussion with Royal Oak & Baguely Mixed Guild took place in Wythenshawe and the topic was "The Future of the Co-operative Dividend"
Manchester & Salford Co-operative Herald Pg 107, April 1952.

It must have been successful because in 1953 they announced similar activities.."programme for the month will be a whist drive, a discussion with Royal Oak & Baguely, a C.W.S. film show, and a social evening."
Manchester & Salford Co-operative Herald Pg 106, April 1953.

The picture above is a 1930 advert in the M&S Herald. You are allowed to take photos without flash in the archives, and photocopying isn't allowed on old publications as it fades them...