During Queen Victoria's reign, tea became a symbol of Britain's greatest period of expansion and stability. Every home owned a teapot, even if it was a basic "Brown Betty". Tea was no longer a refined upper class beverage, and the humble "Brown Betty" has remained a firm favorite ever since.
Its origins go back to the to the end of the 17th century and to the birth of the ceramic teapot. In 1700 a small unglazed teapot made of red clay from the Bradwell Woods area of Stoke on Trent was a luxury item costing 12 shillings.
Brown Betty teapots are still made from the Terracotta as used by the Elers Brothers in 1695. Their method of making was 'jollying' but in later years this became slip casting giving a smooth finish and even thickness. Succeeding generations of Englishmen have proved that the Brown Betty makes the best pot of tea in the world. The shape of the pot causes the tea leaves to be gently swirled around as the boiling water is added thus producing an exquisite infusion. The red terracotta clay with its Rockingham glaze coddles the brew and creates the perfect cup of tea.