Posted by Cassia on July 05, 1997 at 15:27:47:
In reply to Re: 3-6 pm dinner then when was tea? posted by Alison on July 01, 1997 at 22:56:36
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] ] ]
] ] ] ] ] ] and dinner (3pm in the 1770s, stayed that way in the country in the early 1800s, up to 6pm in the city);
] ] ] ] ] when did they take tea.
] ] ] ] I'm not sure, and I am sure it varied; it would depend on the breakfast/dinner times (old fashioned/country/early dinner v modern/city/later dinner). Some people were given tea as part of the morning visit, and it was sometimes also taken after dinner. On both occaisions a sustaining snack could also be taken. Travellers, workers and other hungry types could also take a 'nuncheon' in the middle of the day; and those who had dined early could have 'supper' later.
] ] ] ] Who says grazing was invented in the 1980s???
] ] ] ]When you say dinner, does that mean lunch? And does 'supper' mean 'dinner'? When people had formal dinners, did that mean lunch or supper? I'm confused now.
] ] ]No, dinner is dinner, the formal main meal of the day, the meal you invited company to, the meal with multiple courses laid, ect. Supper was more of a snack: cold meat, bread, soup, wine,salad, that sort of thing. Dinner was always served but supper (depending on the household) was only have been served if the evening was taken up by some event, the Netherfield ball, for example. In a large portion of the English speaking world "dinner" is still used for the main afternoon meal and supper for the lighter evening meal. People who have afternoon "dinner" don't have "lunch" and people who have "lunch" either have "dinner" or "supper" but not both. Lunch came in after dinner had moved to 8 pm and the growth of offices and factories meant that breakfast was moved to a much earlier hour (7 or 8 am) and a smaller afternoon, the only one not taken as a family grew in popularity. Afternoon tea was, at first considered a "women's" meal, as they were the only ones who were at home to take it but it grew to emcompass the whole family as dinner times became set at 8 or after.
] ] Cassia
] ]On Emma, when the Westons had their Christmas Eve Party and they were eating the big meal, that was supper because they had a big party, right? But if they were just inviting their neighbors over, they would invite them to dinner, during the middle of the day, right?
Most likely.
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