"I love to think of those old days," said Isabel Moore earlier this month as she was preparing for her annual holiday open house and Victorian tea party. "Johnny and I try to hold time still in this house by sharing its history."
Afternoon tea is not just "a hot cuppa" to the ladies of Greenwich - it is a treasured ritual. During the holiday season, sharing tea with friends is important tradition.
Though not all descendants of the early settlers, the ladies of Greenwich have adopted their colonial sisters' fierce pride and patriotism. Since 1902 the Research Club has been gathering on the second Tuesday at 2 p.m., and, as Isabel Moore explains, "in a quiet way we keep the history and wonderful traditions of our area alive."
And very much alive indeed when it comes to tea. Each meeting concludes with an elaborate afternoon tea of little sandwiches, scones and jam, delicate pastries, and, of course, their historic brew.
Why all this talk of tea, anyway? We take for granted a nice hot cup that warms the heart and eases the aches. We have little thought of history when we settle by an open fire, good book in hand, and warm tea to soothe and relax.
Perhaps we never think about the hard trail our reviving cup, at 11 in the morning or 4 in the afternoon, took to become our pleasure.
Remember, it was in 1773 that the British Parliament imposed another tax upon the Colonies - this time on tea. The Crown was quickly taken by surprise. The Colonies declared a boycott of their favorite drink.
The women of Greenwich urged their menfolk to support the boycott. In the shade of a gnarled old tree on Ye Greate Street, the main street of town, a small monument sums up what happened:
