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Ellen Easton’s interest in tea is inherited. Ellen Easton's relationship to the world of tea and social history dates back over two centuries. Ellen’s family can trace their tea roots to Baron Salomon Benedict de Worms (1801- 1882), the first Baron de Worms of the Austrian Empire. Baron de Worms, at an early age, went to Frankfurt, Germany to join his uncle in business, eventually settling in Ceylon. There, in 1834, he and his brothers, Maurice and Gabriel, contributed greatly to the development of the Colony by introducing tea plants from Assam, India and China, thus building one of the biggest and best-cultivated tea plantations on the island. In 1874, Baron de Worms was granted the Royal Right by Queen Victoria to use his title in England.

Collateral ancestors Sir Benjamin Phillips (1811-1889) and his son Sir George Faudel Phillips (1840-1922) both served as the Lord Mayor of London during the reign of Queen Victoria, in 1866 and 1898 respectively. Sir George Faudel Phillips presided as the Lord Mayor of London during Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Easton’s relative, Almina, The 5th Countess of Carnarvon home Highclere Castle, is now known as the setting for television’s Downton Abbey.

Additionally, Louis (1888-1940) and Benjamin Hirschorn were pioneers of the tea bag industry. In 1913 NYC, NY their company, The National Urn Bag Co., developed the first industrial tea bag- The National Tea Bag CO., therefore revolutionizing the ancient way of making tea, which had been in vogue for thousands of years. In addition, the industrial tea bag changed the unsanitary manner of packing teabags by hand.

Not withstanding this historical heritage, Ellen's German great-grandmother, pioneer photographer, Henrietta Pase (1868-1971), introduced her European customs to Oklahoma Territory and later Tennessee, where she graciously entertained with Sunday afternoon teas.

Following in the family tradition, Ellen’s mother, Reva Paul, the internationally acclaimed sugar artist, whose heralded hand decorated confections, often featured in national media, were celebrated in the tea world for over five decades, introduced Ellen to afternoon tea with love.

Ellen Easton, an afternoon tea, etiquette and lifestyle authority, in addition to her TEA TRAVELS™ writings as an author, columnist and guest lecturer, is a consultant to the hospitality, food, retail and special event industries, specializing in corporate training, Afternoon Tea, menu planning, recipe development and the design of related products, whose clients have included The Waldorf Astoria, The Plaza and Bergdorf Goodman.

ARTICLE COMMENTARY: After reviewing a copy of Etiquette Faux Pas and Other Misconceptions About Afternoon Tea by Ellen Easton, sources in the British Royal Household confirm the information as correct with the comments: "We would not make any amendments to the text" and "What a good article." -September, 2004