Porridge or bread would, for many, have been served with a glass of beer. Beer was the traditional drink of Britain and, in a world of marginal survival, provided not only valuable calories but a range of minerals and vitamins that were otherwise lacking in most people’s diets. However, tea gradually became the dominant morning drink as the Temperance Movement persuaded more and more people to turn their backs on alcohol. Coffee and cocoa, for similar reasons, also grew in popularity.
