Talk by historian David Olusoga on the global history of tea, followed by a Q&A and book signing.
Professor David Olusoga is coming to The Halls on Friday 5 March 2027, for a talk on the global history of the British cup of tea. It's a subject that sounds domestic on the surface, but Olusoga uses it to trace a story that stretches far beyond the kitchen table.
He's a BAFTA winner and historian, and he's written or co-authored eight books, including Black & British: A Forgotten History, which picked up both the Longman-History Today Trustees Award and the PEN Hessell-Tiltman Prize. He's also fronted the BBC2 three-parter Empire, so he's well-versed in the larger arcs of British history. In this talk, he pulls in art, photography, history and a bit of humour to map out how tea became such a British staple, and the global connections that made it happen.
He frames the whole thing as the ultimate link between more than 350 years of British history and China, India, the Americas and beyond. Along the way, he touches on the Boston Tea Party, the Opium Wars and the British East India Company, so it's less a cozy chat about brew times and more a look at the trade, conflict and empire that tea sat at the centre of. The talk is followed by a Q&A and a book signing, so there's a chance to ask your own questions and get a copy signed afterwards.
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The venue is The Halls on St Andrew's Plain, NR3 1AU, which houses St Andrew's and Blackfriars Halls. It's been revitalised as a modern cultural space through major investment and restoration, pairing the protected heritage of the buildings with upgraded tech and better access for concerts, exhibitions and community gatherings. The talk starts at 7.30pm.
