Though teatime became a unique afternoon ritual in the 1840s, its origins can be traced all the way back to when tea first arrived in England some two centuries earlier, according to Jane Pettigrew, a tea historian and author of many books on the subject. "Tea was so important for health reasons that people took time out of their day to drink it," she says. Before the 19th century, when most people in Europe didn't live beyond 35 or 40 years old, they made huge contributions to the development of our world. "People were busy working long hours, living in poor conditions with little chance to eat properly or stay healthy," notes Pettigrew. "Tea gave them time out from work, to talk with friends and family, and relax." The first tea houses appeared in London around 1720. These were private rooms where people could go and get tea served by servants dressed in black suits with white aprons and caps. They would bring you a pot of tea, hot water, sugar, and lemon if you asked for it. There were also sandwiches, cakes, and quiches available for sale. This is how we know today's custom of taking tea as a social event originates from these early days. As time went by, changes came about due to growing popularity of tea drinking and the need to offer something more than just tea and bread.