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Britain is well known in the world of tea, with 165 million cups of the quintessential English drink consumed every day. Despite this, tea was only relatively recently introduced, with tea only becoming popular and widespread in the early 18th century.

The British East India Company, with its trade monopoly in India and the Far East, was the first to import tea, the first shipment coming from Java in 1664. Soon, tea was a fashionable drink for the upper class, with consumption increasing until the end if the 17th century. It was then, however, that tea drinking really took hold as an activity for the whole population and, being an alternative to the unhealthy water or alcohol, did a lot to improve the health of the nation. As a result of the tax imposed on tea, smuggling was rife and continued for years, until the tax was slashed by Pitt the Younger, making the smuggling of tea pointless. The taxation of tea exported to America was seen as a way for the British East India Company increasing profits that were hit hard by the smuggling, but when the company's ships arrived in Boston they were boarded by the enraged Americans who proceeded to throw the cargo of tea overboard. This became known as the Boston Tea Party and was a key event in the American War of Independence.

When the British East India company's monopoly on India was revoked, it was soon realised that whoever could transport their tea back to Britain fastest would stand to make the most money. Faster, sleeker ships - clippers - were developed, and soon rivalry between the ships caught the publics imagination and enthusiastic betting ensued on which ship would make it home first. In the 19th century, with the East India Company administrating British India on behalf of the crown, China was the major producer of tea in the world. A Tea Committee was established to investigate the possibility of cultivating tea in India, and with Assam as a natural location, 1838 saw the first auction of Indian tea in London.  The East India Company was soon in decline with revolt and rebellion, but the tea industry in India flourished, and the reliance of the British on Indian tea, along with the invention of the tea bag continues to this day.

With the headquarters of the British East India Company, London was one of the first places in England to enjoy the luxury of imported tea, and will be the final destination of the Tracing Tea expedition.