The tea interval will become a lasting British tradition, but the English still drink more coffee than tea. The Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers, the first modern cooperative society, opens a store in Toad Lane. Flour, oatmeal, butter, and sugar are its only initial wares but the store soon adds tea and groceries. Parliament abolishes Britain's Navigation Acts June 26, ending restrictions on foreign shipping. U.S. clipper ships are permitted to bring cargoes of China tea to British ports.
Tea catches up with coffee in popularity among the English.
The London Great Exhibition forbids sale of wine, spirits, beer, and other intoxicating beverages but permits tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, lemonade, ices, ginger-beer, and soda water. A. H. Hassall reports that all but the most costly food and tea contain trace amounts of arcenic, copper, lead or mercury. Duties on tea, coffee, and sugar are increased as a war measure. The Great American Tea Co. founded in 1859 grows to have six stores and begins selling a line of groceries in addition to tea. The Great Tea Race from Foochow to London pits 11 clipper ships who race to minimize spoilage of the China tea in their hot holds.