Description:Correspondence in the Sutherland Papers suggests that tea rooms were established at Trentham Gardens in the early twentieth century. The document above is a menu card for the Tea Rooms from the late 1920s.
The Tea Rooms at Trentham Gardens catered for all visitors to the Gardens selling tea, coffee, and ‘iced drinks’ from the soda fountain. Bread and butter was served, alongside ‘fancy cakes & pastries’ and fruit cake. More substantial refreshments including sandwiches and ‘poached egg on toast’ were also served, as were sardines. Ice creams, cigarettes and chocolates could also be purchased from the Tea Rooms.
The menu advertises that parties could be accommodated at Trentham Gardens Tea Rooms, with ‘special menus provided by arrangement with the Manageress’. An intriguing note underneath this advertisement advises that parties complaining about ‘overcharge or incivility’ were to address their concerns to the Manageress.
Contextual Information featured on pages relating to Trentham Gardens has been provided by Sue Gregory who has been instrumental in the research and selection of documents for this section. Sue has been part of the management team of Staffordshire Gardens & Parks Trust since its creation in 1992 and has over fourteen years of experience researching Trentham Gardens in the Sutherland Papers.