THE COFFEE HOUSE. An introduction to the history and development of the coffee house.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
THE COFFEE HOUSE Where It All Started
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London Coffee Houses
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Spreading Around The World
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How The Coffee House Developed
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Coffee House Facts
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Where It All Started The first record of a public place serving coffee dates back to 1475. This first coffee house was called Kiva Han and was located in the Turkish city Constantinopole, which is now Istanbul. This started the journey of coffee houses around the world and led eventually to the coffee houses that we know today.
TURKEY
Istanbul was introduced to coffee in 1555 during the reign of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent by Özdemir Pasha who was the Ottoman Governor Of Yemen, who had grown to love the drink while stationed in that country. Turkish coffee was served strong, black and unfiltered and was usually brewed in an Ibrik, which is a type of pot with a long handle used to make coffee. The position of Chief Coffee Maker was added to the roster of court functionaries. The Chief Coffee Maker’s duty was to brew the Sultan’s or his patron’s coffee, and was chosen for his loyalty and ability to keep secrets. Coffee was a very important item during that time period, especially in Turkey with it even being legal for a woman to divorce her husband if he could not supply her with enough coffee. The ibrik is used to make traditional coffee in Turkey.
The image to the left shows a scene from an early Turkish coffee house with the coffee being served in an ibrik, or a cezve as it is called in Turkey. These are traditionally made of copper or brass and serve very strong coffee with the grinds settling at the bottom of the cup. This coffee is very different to the more popular milky coffee widely drunk today.
As Istanbul was the capital of the most powerful empire in Europe it was obvious that the rest of the world was going to join the coffee house trend following the introduction of this new culture in Turkey. At this time coffee was an oddity not only in both taste and appearance but also in the effects it had on the body. This new experience excited people and assisted the growth of the coffee house not only in Turkey but around the world.
Coffee soon spread from the palace to grand mansions, and from grand mansions to the homes of the public. The people of Istanbul quickly became hooked on the beverage. Although the public were able to buy beans and roast at home themselves, most of the general public became acquainted with coffee through visiting coffee houses. After Kiva Han opened in 1475 others began to crop up all over the city. Coffee houses and coffee culture soon became a huge part of the social culture in Istanbul and people visited through the day to read books, play chess and backgammon and discuss poetry and literature.
Scene from a typical early Turkish coffee house.
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London Coffee Houses.
Coffee Houses at this time were hugely different to your regular visit to Starbucks today. Customers paid only one penny for an unlimited amount of coffee and they then had access to the company of other customers in addition to pamphlets, bulletins, newspapers, and news ‘reporters.’ These reporters were called “runners” and they went around the coffee houses of London announcing the latest news, similarly to how we hear news on televisions and radios today. Before such technological developments people visited coffee houses to hear about the newest developments and business ideas. Newsletters and gazettes, before newspapers, were also distributed in coffee houses and as such many functioned as reading rooms and notice boards announcing sales, sailings and auctions to the businessmen who visited. Soon, intellectuals, professionals and merchants flocked to the coffee houses to debate, distribute pamphlets, do business deals, smoke pipes and, of course consume coffee. Coffee houses also worked in conjunction with the Post Office, in the days of unorganised mail
deliveries, and customers would pick up their mailed items from coffee houses. The term ‘Penny Universities’ was used in reference to London coffee houses of the time in relation to the price of the coffee and the social upper-class of business-men that were found there. Whereas previously men had gathered in taverns to do business and exchange ideas this soon changed to the location of coffee houses due to the unpleasant and rowdy nature of taverns making them unproductive venues. It was argued that continued coffee consumption in one session led to a sharper mind and keener discussion, whereas in taverns continued alcohol consumption led to a greater risk of violence. Coffee kept consumers awake whereas alcohol made them drowsy, coffee was also cheaper than alcohol. Businessmen of the time would often advise clients of which coffee house they could be found in on a regular basis.
This sign can today be found on St Michael’s Alley in London.
“Your servant, sir, what news from Tripoli?”
Cafe culture in London is nothing new with the last ten years seeing the growth of establishments to buy a latte and flick through the daily papers, but the real coffee revolution was in the late 1600s and early 1700s, when as many as 3,000 coffee houses played host to caffeine-fuelled debate, wheeler-dealing and gossip-mongering on London’s streets. The idea of the coffee house arrived in England again from Turkey. London’s first coffee house, although at the time was more of a stall, was opened by a Greek Orthodox man named Pasqua Rosee in 1652. While a servant for a British Levant merchant in Turkey, Rossee developed a taste for the exotic Turkish drink that was coffee and he decided to import it to London. Thus ‘The Turks Head’ coffee house was born. People swarmed to the business to meet, drink, think, write and gossip all fuelled by coffee.
Listening and talking to strangers was a founding principle of coffee houses, which is one that seems alien to us today. Conversation was a largely important part of the coffee house culture an on entering, customers would be attacked with cries of “What news have you?” or, more formally, “Your servant, sir, what news from Tripoli?”. A person could mix with all sorts of people in coffee houses. There was no limit on what topics could be discussed and as a result coffee houses played a useful role in developing England's greater political freedom.
all ends of the political spectrum rebelled and eleven days later coffee houses re-opened and their numbers continued to increase. The term 'coffee house politician' refers to someone who spent all day cultivating pious opinions about matters of high state and sharing them with anyone who would listen. This term is still used today and links back to the coffee house origins.
However, the government at the time was not happy with the amount of ideas in circulation, stemming from the coffee houses. In 1675 King Charles II issued a “Proclamation for the Supression of Coffee Houses” with an aim to reduce the free flow of ideas condemning coffee houses as places where the disaffected met, and spread scandalous reports concerning the conduct of his Majesty and his Ministers. However, coffee house patrons from
A gentleman, outraged by another’s opinion, throws a dish of hot coffee in his adversary’s face. Coffee houses were famous for their free and open debates, but such discussions were not always polite and friendly.
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At this time women were not customers in coffee houses as they were not involved in such business deals or political debate and no respectable women of the time would wish to be seen inside the premises. However, such places were however often run by a 'coffee woman', such as a widow. Her role was to take care of the management and she would make sure the place was a pleasant place to meet. Women were also on the serving staff in coffee houses. The coffee beverages found in these establishments tasted very different to the popular latte’s drunk today. Coming from Turkey the coffee was strong and dark and even the people from the eighteenth century found it unpleasant routinely comparing it to ink, soot, mud, damp and even excrement. However, they found it addictive being a mental and physical boost to punctuate the working day and provide a path to inspiration. The taste of coffee found in cafes and coffee shops today are undoubtedly more pleasant and tasty, but the vanishing opportunities for intellectual engagement and spirited debate with strangers have been quite a trade-off.
that took place. This also determined the type of person you would find inside each coffee house. Cesar de Saussure wrote, “Some coffee-houses are a resort for learned scholars and for wits, others are the resort of dandies or of politicians, or again of professional newsmongers; and many others are temples of Venus.” An example of how location impacted on conversation and debate was the Bedford coffee house in Covent Garden, which had a ‘theatrical thermometer’ with temperatures ranging from ‘excellent’ to ‘execrable’. Playwrights would dread walking into the Bedford after an opening night of their latest play to receive judgement, in a similar way to how politicians also feared walking into the Westminster coffee houses after delivering speeches to Parliament. The Hoxton Square coffee house was renowned for its investigations of insanity, where a suspected ‘madman’ would be tied up and wheels into the coffee room while a jury of coffee drinkers would view, prod and talk to the alleged insane man and the vote decided whether the man should be sent to a local ‘madhouse’.
London had a hugely diverse array of coffee houses and the location of the coffee houses influenced their character, in addition to influencing the conversations and debates (Left) Moll King, (top right) Don Saltero’s, (bottom right) The Folly of The Thames.
Many London coffee houses of the eighteenth century had their own distinct character offering unique experiences, but based on the same formula maximising interaction between customers and offering a creative environment.
Moll King
Don Saltero’s
In Covent Garden, libertines could sober up after a long night of drinking and browse a directory of prostitutes, before being led to the requisite brothel nearby.
In this Chelsea coffee house the walls were adorned with exotic taxidermy which provided a talking point for local gentlemen scientists.
The Folly of The Thames
Lunt’s
Floating coffee house, moored outside Somerset House where jittery dancers performed waltzes and jigs late into the night.
In Clerkenwell Green, patrons could sip coffee, have a haircut and enjoy a fiery lecture on the abolition of slavery given by its barber-proprietor.
The earliest known image of an English coffee house. A wood block print from 1674, showing Paul Greenwood’s one page advertising broadsheet on ‘the Excellent Virtues of that Sober and Wholesome Drink Called Coffee’.
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Spreading Around The World.
As we know there is a large history of coffee houses in London, but they were not only popular in London, they were established as a British institution by the end of the 1660’s with one in nearly every city. Similarly to the London coffee houses, the coffee houses around England were also used by men coming to discuss business and news. Following the popularity in England coffee houses spread around the world adapting and changing to the culture in each country. Coffee houses were especially popular in countries with sizable communities of English merchants.
The Boston Exchange Coffee House, 1808, was one of the most ambitious coffee house builds in the world taking three years to build and standing at seven stories high. It was the centre of marine intelligence and the first floor was dedicated to trading.
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One of the first coffee houses to open outside of Britain was that established for merchants of Boston in Massachusettes Bay colony in 1670. This house was trading before they had arrived in Paris,Venice or Vienna. In 1670 Boston was the largest city in British North America and it was closely connected to British cities by ties of culture, people and trade. Being the commercial hub of the American colonies Boston merchants were always in contact with the British counterparts. Being familiar with the coffee house culture Boston merchants wanted to set up their own. These were the first coffee houses in America and as they flourished they spread over time around America, however it wasn’t until 1696 that the first coffee house opened in New York.
Interior photograph of Cafe Florian in Paris as it looks today, with the ornate detailing retained.
“seat of government, of politics and of intrigue”. Coffee houses also spread to Paris however it was the preparation and practice of drinking coffee that enticed the country rather than the associated culture, this was advertised by the Splendid Embassy of Solyman Aga, sent by Sultan Mehemet IV, to the King of France in 1669. However, the first coffee house was not established in France until 1671. Similarly to in London, coffee became attached to the metropolitan and cosmopolitan character, relating to the sociable practices and commercial elite of the city of Paris. However, business in Paris was difficult with many coffee houses opening but then closing or not being very successful as many were operated by poor Levanine coffee sellers and were frequented by foreigners, and subsequently the upper class markets were ashamed to go to such places. The big change occurred in 1676 as the Italian Francesco Procopiodei Collteli established a coffee house adorned with mirrors, branches for candles, ornaments, pictures and marble and this of course attracted a more upper class clientele.
Gentlemen came here to socialize and have meetings and thus the European café style coffee house was born. These coffee houses actually sold alcohol such as wines and spirits in addition to coffee as many new spirits such as brandy had arrived at the time and were in demand by the upper class clientele, these were considered as medicinal at the time as coffee was. The French model of the coffee house proved very popular around continental Europe. The first coffee house opened in Venice in 1683 as a shop underneath the arcades beneath the Procuratie Nuove in St Marks Square and this was known as the “seat of government, of politics and of intrigue”. Caffe Florian was another upper class coffee house known to play host to many illustrious clients. These were very similar to Parisian coffee houses in that they were more like restaurants in that they sold alcohol and food in addition to coffee, and females often populated them as well as men.
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How The Coffee House Developed
The popularity of English coffee houses started to decline around 1780 and many had gone by 1830. This was due largely to the industrial revolution beginning in England, as the increased wealth meant a change in social patterns. Some coffee houses became elite clubs for the wealthy, with the most elite being The Athenaeum, on Pall Mall, established in 1824. A person could only enter becoming a formal member, and so the Gentleman’s club has been born. The growing working class however preferred beer and gin and so went instead to public houses. The services that were previously provided by coffee houses were instead being provided by specialist service providers, for example the postal system began delivering to homes, newspapers were being produced on a regular basis allowing easier access to them and insurance companies became wealthy enough to build their own offices and so no longer needed coffee houses to carry out their business.
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The nation’s tastes had also turned to tea drinking. English people could make their own tea at home and drink with families and so it did not have the same controversy as the introduction of coffee houses did. A few coffee houses were retained in the nineteenth century in more ‘artistic’ locations in cities and these were used as meeting places for the cultural elite. The temperance movement also opened a few coffee houses to provide alcohol-free meeting places. Following this came the introduction of espresso rather than the standard coffee that was previously all that was available in coffee houses. In 1946, Gaggia invented the commerical piston espresso machine, which was far easier to use and safer than earlier models. The Gaggia coffee bar, in Italy, was the first location to use these machines and to offer espresso along with the regular coffee. A Milanese dental mechanic named Pino Riservato began importing the newest coffee making technology and when he came to
England on a business trip in 1951 he was appalled by the coffee and realized there would be a market here for the Gaggia machines. He opened the ‘Gaggia Experimental Coffee Bar’ in London in the summer of 1953 and due to its success coffee bars selling espresso began popping up all around the city of London. Some include The Rocola in Picadilly Circus and Arabica, which was on Brompton Road in Knightsbridge. Coffee bars continued to grow spreading around Britain within five years and further around the world such as in Australia, New Zealand and America, which was a huge change from the popular re-fillable cup coffee house. From this the modern age of the coffee house was born offering a wider variety of coffee and espresso drinks and a more relaxed environment than that of the 17th century.
a young and fashionable clientele, including both men and women. The economic and social recovery from the war meant that young people were getting a higher level of disposable income and there was a demand for them to have a space away from their parents for socializing, and they could afford to do this at coffee houses. These coffee houses sold the new espresso coffee drinks played pop music from jukeboxes, largely different to the political discussions that took place in eighteenth century coffee houses. They did however become places for discussion and news but based on emerging music and clothing trends of young people. This is much closer to the social atmosphere experienced in coffee shops today.
However, another revival took place in the 1950’s when coffee houses became meeting places for young people. The design of the modern coffee houses involved the chrome style of the machines and the light, modern architecture of exposed stone along with modern art. This European style attracted
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Coffee House Facts Dating from 1802, the term café comes from the French “café” (meaning coffee or coffeehouse) and the Italian “caffe” (also meaning coffee.) In 1839 “caféteria” had been coined in American English from Mexican Spanish to indicate a coffeestore. But the café has been reinvented many times over the centuries. Famous auction houses Sotherby’s and Christie’s have their origins in coffee houses. It was in an English coffee house that the word “tips” was first used for gratuities. A jar with a sign reading, “To Ensure Prompt Service” sat on the counter. You put a coin in the jar to be served quickly. Physicians used Batson’s coffee house in Cornhill as a consulting room. Chapter in Paul’s Alley was the chosen meeting place for publishers and booksellers. Scientists like Sir Isaac Newton and Professor Halley preferred the Grecian on the Strand. While the wits, including the playwright Dryden, gathered at Will’s in Russell Street, Covent Garden. Espresso machines originated from early 19th century pressure perculators, that were used to make Turkish style coffee. Popular coffee ‘lingo’ used today originated from the urban argot of Seattle in 1980’s. Some examples of such language include: Skinny, which refers to the use of skimmed milk. With Wings, which means a coffee to take out. And the naming convention of sizes used in chains such as Starbucks tall, grande, venti. Both the American Revolution and the French Revolution were born in coffee houses. The American Revolution grew from roots planted by patriots in the Green Dragon Public House in the Lloyd's District of London. The French Revolution happened in 1789 when the Parisians, spurred on by Camille Desmoulins's verbal campaign, took to the streets and two days later the Bastille fell, marking the overthrow of the French Government and changing France forever. In the old days in Constantinople, the first coffee houses were called qahveh khaneh (schools of wisdom) as they were the meeting places of men of arts and literature.
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