I used to wonder what it meant to “call on” someone and why there were front parlors and back parlors in old Victorian-era houses. Then I watched the BBC series Cranford and light dawned. And tea played a part in solving the mystery, as you will soon see.
About Cranford
Elizabeth Gaskell had three novellas published from 1849 to 1858 about the fictional village of Cranford in England. The BBC One television channel broadcast the series based on these novellas in November and December 2007. In May 2008, the series was shown in the United States. There was also a two-part Christmas special aired in 2009.
What was the appeal? Viewers were given a glimpse into a charming period of English history filled with human drama but lacking the gore, swearing, and high-speed car chases common in much of modern entertainment. It also avoided loud, frenetic music and rapid-fire editing that can make it difficult to follow a story.
And a lot was going on, mainly among the town’s single and widowed middle-class female inhabitants. They were comfortable with their traditional way of life while placing great importance on propriety and maintaining an appearance of gentility. Part of that appearance involved receiving “callers” (visitors) for tea in the front parlor, a word derived from the French parler, meaning “to speak.” To make things run smoothly, residents often took turns during the week being the hosts who received callers, while on other days they would visit neighbors themselves.
Another theme was keeping up appearances even when finances took a downturn. Miss Matty, a spinster in the village, suffers a financial loss, but her friends secretly help her with money (claiming it is due to a banking error). She then uses those funds to transform her front parlor from a place to enjoy tea into a place to sell tea—she goes into trade, as the expression of the day described it.
Scenes from the series (see image at right):
- Several ladies of Cranford keeping watch to see who might be calling on them for tea. Or are they simply hoping to discover something interesting to discuss over their cups of tea?
- Miss Matty in her front parlor, which is eventually transformed into a tea shop.
- A tea party typical of the Victorian era and certainly not one that could be organized without considerable advance notice.
The Front Parlor
In the days before television and video games, people regularly visited one another in their homes. Certain social customs became established over time. One such custom was to confine visits to a special room for receiving guests known as the front parlor. It was usually maintained in pristine condition, carefully cleaned and dusted, and decorated with various knickknacks and ornaments.
Behavior was expected to be proper and congenial, and tea was often served, rolled into the room on a traditional tea trolley for serving afternoon tea. All of these elements are portrayed in the Cranford series and help modern viewers better understand Victorian tea traditions and social etiquette.
Modern-Day Parlors
Today, many homes feature open floor plans and a much more casual atmosphere. We still try to keep things congenial and mind our manners, but it is unlikely to cause a village-wide scandal if we occasionally fall short on either account. At least, I hope not!
See more blog.englishteastore.com/author/accargill/”>articles by A.C. Cargill on The English Tea Store Blog.
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