Tea Blog

As a non-smoker, I wouldn’t walk a mile for a Camel, as the old advertising slogan goes. But a cup of tea from a wide selection of blends and varieties? That’s another story entirely. If the reward were a pound of tea, I might even consider entering a race for it.

This brings us—somewhat indirectly—to a curious historical event that has been discussed in various places online. The idea of an “old woman’s race for a pound of tea” might sound like something out of a comedy sketch, but it was in fact a real event held in 1851 as part of the Wenlock Olympian Society Annual Games.

The Wenlock games are often considered a precursor to the modern Olympic Games and have been held in Shropshire, England since 1850. According to this historical account of early Wenlock Olympian events, the participants in the 1851 race were not particularly elderly by modern standards, with an average age of around thirty. Dressed in work attire typical of the era, the participants caused a stir during the race, which may explain why the event was not repeated.

Another notable tea-related competition occurred about fifteen years later. Often referred to as the Great Tea Race of 1866, this event involved several clipper ships racing from China to London to deliver their cargoes of tea as quickly as possible. For additional context, see this overview of clipper ships and their role in the 19th-century tea trade.

Although not an official race, the 1866 journey captured public attention. Ships including the Ariel, Taeping, and Serica left Fuzhou, China on May 30, while the Fiery Cross departed a day earlier. After roughly 100 days at sea, the finish was remarkably close: Ariel arrived first, Taeping followed just minutes later, and Serica came in a few hours afterward. Despite its early departure, Fiery Cross ultimately finished last.

For a more detailed account of this famous maritime competition, read this Smithsonian Magazine feature on the Great Tea Race of 1866 and the era of clipper ships.

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