Wenham Tea House History

Wenham has what is believed to be the oldest continually-operating tea house in the country.

The idea of a tea house in Wenham began when, in 1893, the Wenham Village Improvement Society – WVIS - was organized. The aim of the WVIS, as stated in an August 1914 issue of House Beautiful “was to eliminate political, sectarian and class prejudice, and to create an enterprise in which there could be a common interest.”

One of these common interests was to make Wenham more beautiful, by planting shade trees and having the downtown area more attractive. Mrs. Thomas Pingree, WVIS President, suggested the opening of a combination tea house and women’s exchange. The latter - women’s exchanges - also were being opened in many small towns, to provide an opportunity of home employment for women, and funds for the Societies.

Helen Burnham was made the chairperson of the Tea House study committee, and Adeline Cole, the chairperson of the Woman's Exchange.

For several years, the idea was vigorously pursued. However, in 1907, the Ways and Means Committee sadly said that it was “advisable to give up on the idea of a tea house and exchange.”

But, the ladies did not give up. Three years later, 1910, a building was found suitable for a tea house. It was the unoccupied harness shop, beside the Hobbs House, next to the church and just off of Main Street.

In the autumn of 1911, it was unanimously voted, by the WVIS Board, to move ahead with the opening of a tea house and exchange. A 3-year lease was taken for the harness shop.

The building was renovated – thanks to a lot of contributed supplies and manpower. With a gift of $5, towels were bought. Tables and chairs were contributed. With a $10 gift, china and glasses were purchased.

The following year, on the 29th of May, 1912, patrons had, for the first time, an opportunity of ordering a cup of tea, in a dainty room, with soft-buff walls and green trim, and frilly curtains on the windows. Additional windows were cut to let in more light. There were flower boxes below the windows. Patrons entered the tea room through a latticed veranda, having potted flowers.

The furniture consisted of plain pine chairs and tables, painted green, decorated with painted flowers and vines. The predominating color, green, was further carried out in the draperies, which were of heavy fish net. A vase, with flowers, adorned each table.

The tea room was open every day, from three to six o’clock, except Sunday, from May to November. Service was provided by girls trained by the WVIS. Each year, prior to the opening of the tea house, the WVIS selected six school girls and trained them to wait on tables.

A sign was placed outside to let visitors know they had arrives. The original sign hung for years outside the building, eventually being brought in for protection from weather. It currently resides on the second floor of the building in the WVIS board room.

The Move to Monument

In 1913, the WVIS saw that there soon might be a need for larger quarters. Helen Burnham, for whom Burnham Hall was later named, called for a new tea house to be built. Two committees were formed, a Building Committee, with Mrs. Frank A. Magee, as chair, and a Finance Committee, with Mrs. Adeline Cole, as Chair.

At the close of the summer season of 1915, business had significantly grown. Helen Burnham said, “We have to go forward or slip backward, as no business can stand still.” And, they did go forward.

With regard to a new and larger tea house, Mrs. Magee, Chairman of the Building Committee, said: "We have taken on ourselves a huge task. But, we feel that if every member of this Society will do her part, give her thought and interest and anything else that she is able to, we are bound to make a success. The WVIS has never failed in any of its undertakings, and we are surely not going to fail in this - but we do need the help and cooperation, not of a few, but of all members."

In 1916, a “commodious” cottage was built. Most of the space was devoted to serving tea. The exchange was to the left side of the front door.

What happened to the old tea house?

In 1944, with all its frills and flowers gone, it was leased to a Young Men's Club. A year later, it was closed, due to “mischievous doings.

In 1946, an ex-GI, who needed a house, bought the old tea house and moved it out of town. The lot remains empty, to this day.

During the winter of 1917, the Tea House remained open, for community work. The next winter, the Tea House served as a center for war work. Throughout WW1, the Tea House was a center for volunteers supporting the troops serving in France. Surgical dressings were made every Monday, all day and evening.

For the duration of the war, the Tea House was the center of wool distribution for knitting wool mittens, scarves, and sweaters for the soldiers. Hundreds of pounds of wool were stored in the summer kitchen, and chilled workers they must have been.

Very little information exists about the tea house, during the 1920's. The reason for this was explained, in 1956, by Adeline Cole, when she gave a talk to WVIS volunteers. She said that some of the early WVIS records "fell from the attic into a first floor partition of the Tea House." There they presumably rest today.

During the 1920s, a small building was erected behind the tea house. When ladies were brought to the tea house by chauffeur driven limousines, the shed was used to provide drink and food for the drivers.

An early issue confronting the WVIS was whether the Tea House was to be open on Sundays. Helen Burnham said, “It was customary for tea houses to be open Sunday, and this was a business venture.” She said that she had been strongly advised that it was unquestionably the course to pursue.

Among those opposing the Sunday opening was Adeline P. Cole. She said, "As an organized society, we are not free to act as an individual, and we could not afford to offend the sentiment of those who might feel strongly, in regard to it. (i.e., being open on Sundays)"

At the next meeting, it was voted not to be open on Sundays. The vote for having tea house open on Sundays was: Yes - 19, No - 20.

The Tea House, for many years, also was not open in the fall, winter and spring. This mainly was because travel was not very easy during the winter months. In addition, the building did not have sufficient heating from its center fireplace and the open porch and open summer kitchen could not be used. Most of the help were volunteers, and getting them to work more than the few summer months was not likely. In 1931 the open porch and summer kitchen were enclosed and a source for heating was added.

On September 28, 1932, the Tea House began to be open during the winter. This change happened during the height of the great depression, not exactly the best time to expand business. WVIS records give no reason for the change.

On December 31, 1932, the WVIS reported that, "The old year passed out, at the Tea House, when an open house was kept. About 100 young people danced, while 35 older people played cards, as the last hours of 1932 drifted into history."

Changes

The original Exchange is gone. Most of the space that had been the Exchange now is Irresistibles, which offers contemporary clothing, jewelry and accessories for women.

In 1966, the Tea House Food Shop, later named "The Gourmet Shop," was started, and became a great success. One of the original aims of the Society was to provide an outlet for the home worker for homemade products. The "Gourmet Shop," stocked with home-baked food, furthered this aim.

Growth of the tea house business, in the 1970s, called for more space and numerous additions to the original Tea House building. A larger kitchen was built, at the back.

Altogether, by 2010, three extensions had been made to the Tea House. Additions also have been made to the back of the building.

In 2020 extensive kitchen renovations were completed. The exterior of the building was restored in 2024.

The WVIS operated the Tea House restaurant until 2007 when a local catering chef moved into the building. There have been a few caterers and restauranteurs since. Currently, the Tea House is home to Plat du Jour Bistro.

References:

Wenham Village Improvement Society, Inc., Highlights of WVIS History, 1975. “Wenham in Pictures & Prose,” Wenham Historical Association & Museum, Inc., 1992. “Notes on 1643-1943 Wenham History,” Adeline P. Cole, Published by the Wenham Historical Association, 1943. “At the sign of the Tea-Kettle and Tabby Cat,” Edna Eaton Hurlburt, American Cookery, Vol XX, No. 4, November 1915. “The Tabby Cat Tea House,” Elizabeth L. Adams, House Beautiful, August 1914. Wenham Tea House to Pour First Drink with New License Saturday, Robert Gates, Hamilton-Wenham Patch, Oct. 19, 2012