Did King Charles Ban Coffee Houses?

In 1675, king charles ii issued a royal proclamation suppressing all coffee houses This proved hugely unpopular, and ultimately unenforcible. Coffee houses had become too important to disappear with a flick of a king’s pen. They multiplied in England, and, crossing the Atlantic, percolated to America, too. Why did King Charles ban coffee houses? King … Read more

What Is The Oldest Café In London?

The Jamaica Wine House began london life as the city’s first coffee house, in the 1600s. That was when coffee was a significant beverage and coffee houses featured newspapers to read and debates to pursue. Today the Jamaica tucked away in a tiny side street near Mansion House is, well, just a pub. What is … Read more

Who Patronized Coffeehouses?

Coffeehouses close to the Royal Exchange in the City provided for businessmen. Politicians frequented those in the neighborhood of Westminster and St James, and in the vicinity of St Paul’s Cathedral, they were patronized by clergymen and theologians Why did king charles ii close the coffeehouses? King Charles II stated that coffeehouses “have produced very … Read more