When coffee came to Europe

In 1615, coffee was formally introduced to Europe, courtesy of Venetian traders who started to import it into Italy. However, whilst the consumption and popularity of coffee soon spread, the simple bean wasn’t without its controversy.

A group of Christian clerics believed that coffee was for Satan’s followers, and any Christians that drank the beverage would lose their souls to the devil. So strong was their belief that Pope Clement VIII was called upon to settle the dispute. However, before Pope Clement made a decision on banning coffee he insisted on testing it; after drinking his first cup he was so impressed with the flavour that he reasoned that such a drink couldn’t be the work of Satan and as such it should be baptised to make it a legitimate Christian drink.

Back in England, it was recorded that coffee was first brewed in Oxford, which led to the first coffee house opening in 1650. The most significant of the subsequent Oxford coffee houses was opened by Arthur Tillyard in 1655; Tillyards coffee house became a meeting point for a group of Oxford’s leading scientists to discuss theories, research and share ideas. Nicknamed the Oxford Coffee Club, this small club went on to become one of the leading scientific societies in the world, the famous Royal Society.

The first coffee house to be introduced in London was in 1652. Merchant Daniel Edwards served this new beverage each morning to his house guests, and as word spread the number of visitors to Edwards’ house grew over time. Eventually the first coffee house in London was opened in Cornhill, and following Oxford’s success with their coffee houses, by 1715 there were as many as 2,000 coffee houses around London.

A coffee house based on Tower Street in London saw the emergence of one of the world’s largest insurance companies, Lloyds of London. Opened by Edward Lloyd, the coffee house served seafarers and merchants; Lloyd would liaise with his customers creating lists of what ships were carrying, their schedules and their insurance requirements. This list attracted underwriters to the coffee house to sell insurance to those who needed it. The image above depicts ship owners and traders meeting in Lloyds of London coffee house in 1863.

It is thought that the custom of tipping started in English coffee houses; a small box was hung near the establishment’s counter with the words To Insure Promptness (TIP) inscribed on them. Customers would drop coins into the box to encourage a swift service.

Related articles:

• The coffee bean: journey from seed to cup
• How to brew coffee