Victoriana and Holiday Traditions Over A Spot of Tea

Fresh scones and piping hot darjeeling, crisp linen tables and Victorian dresses, plus the twinkle of holiday candles. This is the annual Victorian afternoon tea to celebrate the holidays, at the Ocean County Historical Museum.

Twice a year, in May and December, the Ocean County Historical Museum holds an afternoon tea.  The event is now a tradition itself, but it holds dear the traditions of a Victorian afternoon tea.

Held this afternoon, the sold-out event packs the Pierson-Sculthorp House in Downtown Toms River. 

Marylou Unger, the host for the event, led guests through the traditions of the period.  She said most of their information is acquired from research through various historical books and other afternoon teas, such as the one at Sutton Place in Toronto. 

For this event, each room of the musuem house is cozy, warm and decorated beautifully in keeping with the Victorian period and the holiday season.  Four rooms of the house were transformed into dining areas with white linens and china.

The afternoon begins with, of course, the serving of the tea.  A variety of tea including:  Darjeeling, English Breakfast Tea, Earl Grey and Prince of Wales is offered to each guest, and served by the young girls from the Junior Historical Society dressed in gorgeously detailed Victorian dresses. 

This is then followed by scones and finger sandwiches, the customary food for afternoon tea.  Tradition dictates that the finger sandwiches be served first, and then followed by scones with various jams. At this event, it was thought best to serve the scones first as a compliment to the teas. 

Throughout the afternoon, a harpist strolled through each room entertaining guests with Christmas melodies.

Historically, afternoon tea would take place around 4 p.m. as a way to satiate the hunger until supper. Because of the high demand of this event, Unger said they have had to split the times into two seatings, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. 

Guests in attendance ranged from young girls with their mothers to the women of the Red Hat Society.  Over the years, this event has gained popularity and always sells out.  The society will begin taking reservations this month for May's tea.  The cost is $20 per adult and $15 per child. 

The setting for the tea is the museum's Pierson-Sculthorp house, which was constructed before 1820 as a two-room, two-story house, and was originally located approximately where the Ocean County Administrative offices currently stand. 

In 1840, two rooms were added to the house.  In 1868 Captain Pierson (after purchasing the home in 1867) added two more bedrooms, a front and rear parlor, and a grand staircase.  In 1971, the Sculthorp sisters sold the house at auction to the Ocean County Historical Society for $1.00.  The house was then re-located to its current location at 26 Hadley Ave, to make room for the new county administration building. 

For more information on this event, as well as other events taking place throughout the year, please go to www.oceancountyhistory.org