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In 1897, London's Lampposts Served Hot Coffee and 'Fluid Beef'
Original: In 1897, London’s Lampposts Dispensed Hot Coffee, Tea, and “Fluid Beef” Any reader of Victorian literature will wonder h
In 1897, London installed lampposts that dispensed hot drinks including coffee and tea, as well as a savoury broth marketed as 'fluid beef', sold by the ha'penny to warm pedestrians on cold streets. The odd piece of Victorian street infrastructure is drawing fresh attention online, with readers amused by the prices and curious about how the dispensing lamps actually worked.
Why now: A quirky, little-known piece of Victorian urban technology is being rediscovered and shared for its novelty.
LondonVictorian eralamppost coffee dispensers
Evidence
- In 1897, London’s Lampposts Dispensed Hot Coffee, Tea, and “Fluid Beef” Any reader of Victorian literature will wonder how much a ha’penny was actually worth in those days... # history # technology https://www. openculture.com/2026/10/in-189… · StevenSaus@faithcollapsing.com · 4
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