Thomas Twining

The members of the Twinings family were originally the weavers and cloth fullers in Painswick near Gloucester, before they moved to London around 1680 because of the recession. With them came nine year old son Thomas Twining, founder of the tea business.

In London, Thomas became an apprentice to a weaver, but soon changed his life orientation and started to work for a wealthy East India Company merchant and importer, Thomas D’Aeth. Due to his patronage, he was elected a Freeman of the City of London in 1701, which was a key of establishment of any future business career.

The East India Company imported many tropical commodities including spices, coffee and tea which had been required in the society. Thomas recognized the business opportunity and launched his own tea and coffee business in 1706 during the reign of Queen Anne. He purchased “Tom’s Coffee House” which was situated on a strategic location between the City trade and the Westminster aristocracy who had deserted the City after the Great Fire.

Coffee houses were a very popular element in the London social life where men of all classes gathered to drink, entertain and to do business, and the competition was strong. But Thomas had built a reputation for offering only the finest teas, and he attracted royalty and gentry as his clients. In 1706, Twinings Gunpowder Green Tea was selling for a price that is equivalent today in the UK to more than £160 for 100g.

Since the business prospered, Thomas was able by 1717 to acquire three adjacent houses and converted them to a shop that still exists today. By 1734, the Twining house focused almost exclusively on tea, having given up coffee. After his death, his son Daniel Twining took over the business and started to export tea to America.