Setting the Stage

From Traitez Nouveaux & Curieux du Café, du Thé et du Chocolate

Coffee is an important commodity that has shaped the political and social world for the past five hundred years. The story of coffee traverses boundaries East and West, crosses the Atlantic, and embodies the spirit of a certain time as well as timeless associations. Ideas we continue to hold today, such as taking coffee with the daily news and having discussions with friends at a coffee shop, were solidified in mid-seventeenth century England. England, in turn, took cues from even earlier coffee drinkers in Turkey and the Arabian Peninsula. Tracing the effects of coffee and places to drink coffee offers an interesting historical perspective. This is particularly true of coffee’s debut in Western Europe.

A Brief History of Coffee

Coffee’s widespread introduction to Western culture occurred in London in the mid-seventeenth century. This exciting time was host to political upheaval, world exploration, and the challenging of societal norms. Coffee managed to embody all these aspects of the time while also creating a new forum in which ideas and talk of change could ruminate. The first coffeehouse in London, and in the Western world, was established in 1652 (Ellis 29). However, the model for a public house founded around coffee, rather than alcoholic beverages, existed in the Near East, where European travelers had first encountered the beverage. 1652 was not the first time the drink had been brought to Europe, but until this date, it had been drunk at home, in private, as a token from travels rather than as a publicly available beverage. Coffeehouses became an immediate success and became a part of daily life in England much in the way they were in the Near East. 

Coffee itself was regarded somewhat skeptically and was the subject of great discussion. One thing was for certain: coffee was popular. "Part of coffee's appeal lies in its pronounced physical effects: appreciation of coffee as a stimulant is a cross-cultural constant" (Von Huenersdorff xiii). These cross-culturally appreciated effects were mutually appreciated in the Near East and the countries to which it spread in Europe. Coffee was one of several products that spread quickly because of improved international trade routes. A number of products passed from Europe to America and vice versa - all passing through England en route. One particularly popular cross-Atlantic combination was that of coffee and tobacco, which was introduced mere decades before coffee in England. "A remarkable affinity was discovered between the rich bitterness of coffee and the sweet spiciness of tobacco. As the Middle East taught Europe about coffee, Europe introduced the Middle East to tobacco, and coffeehouses everywhere became thick with pungent smoke" (Von Huenersdorff xiii). This type of reciprocity between East and West in terms of commodities helped to foster broader international relations and trade. As coffee sat ready to share its delicious gifts with England, England itself was going through major political changes. 

A Brief Look at England

The seventeenth century transformed England politically. Major cities, primarily London, had become political and social hubs for the entire country. “One in ten of the population of England lived there and one in six had spent some time working there, and every day the country wagons and carriages would disgorge yet more hundreds looking to cash in on the dazzling fortune they imagined the city to promise” (Schama 362). This massive influx of people caused the metropolis to develop both socially and politically. New infrastructure had to be implemented, the excise was expanded to new products arriving from around the world, and all the people needed something to do. While it is easy to picture a flood of unwashed masses encroaching on the city of London, this wave brought with it the brightest minds of the age. The concentration of these men caused remarkable developments in philosophy and the natural sciences. The coffeehouses became natural places for these men to collaborate ideas, share experiments, and discuss the future. Naturally, the political atmosphere of the time was also on the list of discussion topics.  

Politically, England went through major changes. The seventeenth century began with Queen Elizabeth I, saw the Commonwealth under Cromwell, and ended with parliamentary government in place. These political changes caused great social changes which, in turn, created more political changes.  The first coffeehouse was established during the Commonwealth of England. Laws became severely strict during the Commonwealth, which may have contributed to the rise of the coffeehouse. "Coffeehouses came in with a rush under Cromwell's Protectorate, which may have had something to do with the decline of newsbooks then" (Sommerville 77). The previously popular newsbooks were more restricted during this time which created a need for access to information. Coffeehouses filled this need by providing a selection of newspapers for its patrons to peruse and discuss (Cowan 174). 

Following the Cromwell's puritanical reign, which ended with his death in 1658, "coffeehouses became centers of political debate and intrigue as the way was cleared for the accession of Charles II in 1660" (Standage 142). Just a few years later, in 1688, the "house of Stuart was deposed in an almost bloodless coup" (Ellis 55). This resulted in the parliamentary government of the Post-Restoration. The coffeehouses of London witnessed all of these changes and, certainly, gossiped about them. While a detailed examination of the cause and effect of every political change may be interesting to fully understand the situation in England, it is not necessary to see the importance of coffeehouses during this time period. As the country was dividing by party lines, coffeehouses offered a place for individuals to come together in equality and discuss the issues of the day. 

The Scope of this Exploration

The specific time and place here examined is London, England between 1652 and 1750. While similar social and political situations occurred elsewhere throughout Europe as well at this time, London was quite unique. 1652 marks the establishment of the earliest known coffeehouse in London. The following century saw the meteoric rise and steady decline of the English coffeehouse. This particular time has been studied and examined by historians and social philosophers for centuries and has a rich history and literature. It was therefore necessary to limit the scope of the study. By working with the wonderful collection at The Lilly Library at Indiana University, Bloomington, the scope was further limited in a positive way. The literature and writings from that time that are associated with coffee, coffeehouses, and those who attended coffeehouses is seemingly limitless. This is attested by the extensive, two volume, several thousand page work by Richard Von Huenersdorff Coffee: A Bibliography. A Guide to the Literature on Coffee. This seminal work demonstrates the need for limiting the scope of this study. The Lilly Library owns a great many works that fit within this genre and was generous in sharing them.