Earl Grey of Howick Hall, near Craster, Northumberland
Earl Grey was a British Prime Minister who served from 1830 to 1835.
In 1832 his Reform Act changed the democratic system in Britain to the system we have today.
That is parliamentary constituencies of roughly equal size and a one man, one vote electoral
system.
Stories abound of the origin of Earl Grey tea, the most popular one seems to be this one:
When Earl Grey was Prime Minister, he sent a diplomatic mission to China. It is said that the
envoy saved the life of a Chinese Mandarin, or it may have been because of a successful mission.
The Mandarin was so grateful that he sent the Earl a gift of scented tea and the recipe. Its unique
bouquet is due to the oil of bergamot which is a citrus fruit classed between an orange and a
lemon in taste.
When guests tasted and enjoyed this tea they would have been told to go to the tea merchants and
ask for Earl Grey’s tea.
At that time Twinings made up blends for select customers, it would be known that the blend
created for the Earl would be readily available. People could therefore ask for "Earl Grey’s tea".
