Saturday, July 28, 2018

Ladies Taking Tea



From Mimi Matthews:
No formal invitation was required for an afternoon tea. Instead, a lady simply announced the day and hour of the tea by writing it on the back of her visiting card. If she must send a more personal note round to a friend or acquaintance, it was generally phrased in a casual manner. As an example, the 1900 edition of The New Century Standard Letter-Writer includes a sample of a letter for “Inviting a Lady to an Informal Afternoon Tea.
It reads:
“Dear Mrs. Salter:—
A few of our friends are coming to afternoon tea on Friday next, and we hope to have a little good music. Perhaps you may be able to look in for half an hour: if so, I should be very pleased to see you.
Believe me,
Yours sincerely,
Selma White”
Informal invitations—whether delivered by letter or announced via visiting card—did not require a response. (Read more.)
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