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Story: Society

The traditional cuppa

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The traditional cuppa

In the 1950s coffee was an occasional drink for special occasions and tea the near-universal drink, morning, noon and night. At this social function in the 1950s, tea is being poured from large jugs into cups set out ready for the rush for refreshment. This was also how tea was dispensed in the railway refreshment rooms of the time. By the 1990s coffee had increased enormously in popularity.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: AAQT 6401 A29414

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

John Wilson, Society – Food, drink and dress, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/2567/the-traditional-cuppa (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by John Wilson, published 3 March 2009.