Bean around town

London's alleyways are hidden with caffeinated history. Historian Dr Mathew Green has mapped out a fascinating coffeehouse trail of London. This article takes you through four iconic coffeehouse memorials you should visit in London - each one is only a few footsteps away from the other! 

1. The First Coffeehouse in London – Jamaica Coffee House 

St Michael's Alley, London EC3V 9DS

Blanketed inside the dark veil of St Michael’s Alley stands a red-brick Victorian style pub ‘Jamaica Wine House’. While the unobservant passerby may simply overlook this rugged exterior as just another pub, the coffee lover will be amazed to find a blue placard resting on its walls. It reads “Here Stood the First London Coffee House at the Sign of Pasqua Rosee’s Head 1652.” 

A sense of historical irony pervades the fact that the site of the first coffeehouse in London has now been replaced with a wine house. As early as 1400AD, Yemeni Sufis were drinking coffee to stay awake for prayers. They are credited with being the world’s first coffee lovers and consumers of the beverage. For 150 years, the Port of Mokha in Yemen was the exclusive supplier of coffee for the whole world, as mentioned by Antony Wild in his book ‘Coffee: A Dark History’. The word ‘coffee’ stems from the Arabic word ‘qahwah’, which used to mean ‘wine’. Although drinking alcohol is prohibited for Muslims, the Islamic World’s influential role in coffee’s early history resulted in European consumers referring to the caffeinated beverage as the ‘Wine of Islam’.

An immigrant by the name of Pasqua Rosée introduced London to its coffee addiction and well – sobriety. Indeed, caffeinated sobriety fueled intellectual discussions, with coffeehouses being credited for contributing to the Age of Enlightenment. Jamaica Coffee House was frequented by notable figures such as Isaac Newton. Coffeehouses such as this one were also rife with political debate. A pamphlet from 1677 pronounced, “none dare venture into the coffeehouses unless he able to argue the question whether Parliament were dissolved or not.” Since coffeehouses became a focal hub of political dissent, they were viewed as a threat to the monarchy, leading Charles II to issue his ‘Proclamation For The Suppression of Coffee Houses’ in 1675. This ban on coffeehouses was very short-lived as you can imagine the outcry was probably more hostile than a Starbucks outlet running out of cold-brew.  

However, it is important to refrain from blindly romanticising this coffeehouse, for it also contributed to the transatlantic slave trade. Plastered on the walls of Jamaica Coffee House were often posters advertising rewards for run-away slaves. One such poster read: “A Negro boy named James … whoever brings him to the Jamaica Coffee House in Cornhill shall have ten shillings reward.” 

2. Garraway’s Coffee House 

Change Alley, London EC3V 9LJ

It is interesting to note that the founder of Garraway’s Coffee House, Thomas Garway, is known as the first person in England to sell tea. So much for loyal-tea. Several works by Charles Dickens include references to Garraway’s Coffee House, including Marin Chuzzlewit, Little Dorrit and The Pickwick Papers. Garraway’s was famous for hosting ‘auctions by the candle’, whereby the last bid called upon the flame going out would win the auction, as mentioned by John Timbs in his book ‘Club Life of London’. Many coffeehouses in Cornhill, including this one, were destroyed by the Great Fire of London, only to be rebuilt soon after as the ‘rebuilt 1874’ indicates.

While Samuel Pepys’ diary entries are most famous for offering personalised insights into the Great Fire of London, an entry from 1660 references the first time Pepys visited “the Coffee-house in Cornhill.” He wrote, “I find much pleasure in it through the diversity of company – and discourse.” Of course, the “diversity of company” Pepys refers to did not account for the fact that women were largely excluded from the coffeehouses. The literature mentions that some sex workers began using coffeehouses as places to acquire clients. This dissuaded women from entering coffeehouses to avoid being associated with prostitution.

As a result, some women had coffee brought to their carriages for them, mentions Jonathan Morris in 'Coffee: A Global History'. Quite bougie. Yet, the general literature understates that women working in coffeehouses were oversexualised by male customers as many accounts focus on the flirtatious nature of female workers that distracted men from their business-related work.  

This revisionist outlook is valuable because most history books about coffee will always mention the ‘Women’s Petition Against Coffee'. This was allegedly launched by a group of anonymous women who were angry that their husbands were suddenly spending all their time at coffeehouses, engaged in intellectual discussions that were responsible for their loss of libido. If that sounds ridiculous, it probably is. Historians such as Steve Pincus argue that the Women’s Petition Against Coffee may not have even been authored by women. Rather, since coffeehouses were dripping with dissent, it is plausible that the petition was drawn up by any group of individuals hoping to limit their popularity. 

3. The birthplace of the London Stock Exchange - Jonathan’s Coffee House 

Change Alley, London EC3V 9LJ

Coffeehouses played a huge role in transforming London into a financial hub. Jonathan’s Coffee House was popular with the finance bros of the time. John Castaing used this coffeehouse to post prices of stocks and commodities. Traders that were kicked out from the Royal Exchange began to convene at this coffeehouse. This financial activity gave birth to the LSE – not the London School of Economics and Political Science that we know and love – the other LSE – The London Stock Exchange. Brewing capitalism since 1773.

4. Lloyd’s Coffee House 

10-15 Lombard St, London EC3V 9AN

Speaking of capitalism, if you take a few footsteps outside where we started our coffee trail in St Michael’s Alley, an all-too familiar Sainsbury’s greets you upon Lombard Street. It is a shame that most people in a hurry to grab milk and bread, will almost certainly miss the placard that says, ‘Site of Lloyd’s Coffee House 1691-1785'. Having come this far into the coffee trail, it is only natural to agonise over the fact that a Sainsbury’s outlet has replaced the historic ‘Lloyd’s Coffee House’. Merchants and those involved in the shipping industry would gather here to discuss maritime insurance. If the name Lloyds rings a bell, rest assured it is no coincidence – Lloyds of London was eventually established from these coffee grounds.

This ends our coffee trail of London! If this article has convinced you to walk the trail yourself and see these caffeinated memorials in-person, a fantastic way to end your tour is to grab a coffee from ‘Rossyln Coffee’ - a mere five-minute walk from the Lloyd’s Coffee House memorial.

Rossyln Coffee was named one of the best independent coffee shops in the world by the Financial Times this year so you should definitely give it a shot.

For over two years, I have been researching the colonial history of coffee and the on-going human rights implications generated from the globalisation of the commodity. My research is archived on kafekuwari.com, where you can find detailed articles on many points this article has touched on. I’m always happy to have a chat about coffee or give recommendations regarding independent coffee shops to visit in London – feel free to reach out if you have any questions! 

Ayesha Kuwari,
Subwarden at Sidney Webb House
Master of Laws (LLM) student at the LSE