Ten Minutes with Margaret Thornby
Margaret Thornby has personally visited all the tea rooms featured in the guide to tea rooms of Britain. Here we take 10 minutes to find out more about her.
Who would you invite to your dream tea party?
Ian Rankin, Judy Dench and Whoopi Goldberg – that would be some tea party.
What is your favourite tea?
Rwanda at breakfast time, a good Russian Caravan at lunchtime, delicate Earl Grey in the afternoon, Yunnan on a Sunday afternoon, Moroccan Mint on a hot summer’s day, China tea with a hint of Lavender before bed …
What is the worst tea you have ever tasted?
A certain supermarket ‘giant’s’ – 39p for 100 tea bags and utterly disgusting.
What is the most expensive tea you have ever tasted?
I think it was a rare Darjeeling from Fortnum and Mason.
If your house was burning down, what two items would you save?
My photo album and my Wedgwood teapot.
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
The inability to make a decent pot of tea.
What is your most embarrassing moment?
During my research for the 4th Edition of the Tea Room Guide I was visiting a tea room (that didn’t make it into the Guide) and was quietly sipping my tea and making some notes when the owner harangued me for doing so, suggesting that I was copying her ideas to open my own tea room.
What would your super power be?
Clicking my fingers and a pot of freshly brewed loose leaf tea magically appearing on a tray, complete with milk, a silver tea strainer and a bone china cup and saucer.
What is your favourite word?
Tea.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
To coin a phrase, if a job’s worth doing, do it well.
How do you relax?
Sitting on the patio on a summer’s day, drinking good tea from a bone china cup.
If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would it be?
A dodo – I think they look cute.
Were you a well behaved student?
Yes, I was a swot.
Do you have any annoying habits?
Yes, a tendency to ramble.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Answering these questions succinctly!
