Thomas Twining (merchant)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Twining was an English
merchant, and the founder of Twinings
.
The son of a fuller who moved to London when the boy was nine years old, Thomas was at first apprenticed to a weaver. He changed careers, however, and worked for a merchant and importer. He became a Freeman of the City of London in 1701, and was working for the East India Company
merchant Thomas D'Aeth. In 1706 he bought Tom's Coffee House at 216 Strand, London
from D'Aeth. In addition to coffee, Twining also sold tea, and soon got a reputation for having the some of the finest blends in London. Soon he was selling more dry tea than brewed.
He expanded his store in 1717 to encompass three adjacent houses. By 1734, Twining focused almost exclusively on tea, having given up coffee. In about 1722 he bought a property later known as Dial House, next door to St Mary's Church, Twickenham, where he either rebuilt, or converted and extended the buildings already there. The sundial on the façade carries the date 1726, possibly the time when the new building was finished.
After Thomas Twining died in 1741, his son Daniel Twining took over the business.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
merchant, and the founder of Twinings
Twinings
Twinings is a marketer of tea based in Andover, Hampshire, England.- History :The founder of Twinings, Thomas Twining, opened the first known tea room, at 216 Strand, London, in 1706, which is still operating today. The firm's logo, created in 1787, is one of the world's oldest in continuous use...
.
The son of a fuller who moved to London when the boy was nine years old, Thomas was at first apprenticed to a weaver. He changed careers, however, and worked for a merchant and importer. He became a Freeman of the City of London in 1701, and was working for the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
merchant Thomas D'Aeth. In 1706 he bought Tom's Coffee House at 216 Strand, London
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
from D'Aeth. In addition to coffee, Twining also sold tea, and soon got a reputation for having the some of the finest blends in London. Soon he was selling more dry tea than brewed.
He expanded his store in 1717 to encompass three adjacent houses. By 1734, Twining focused almost exclusively on tea, having given up coffee. In about 1722 he bought a property later known as Dial House, next door to St Mary's Church, Twickenham, where he either rebuilt, or converted and extended the buildings already there. The sundial on the façade carries the date 1726, possibly the time when the new building was finished.
After Thomas Twining died in 1741, his son Daniel Twining took over the business.