Ringtons: Newcastle's Travelling Tea Company

For well over a century, a familiar sight on the streets of the North East and beyond has been the Ringtons tea van, calling at the doors of loyal customers to deliver their tea and treats. Founded in Newcastle in 1907, Ringtons built its reputation on a simple, personal idea: bringing quality tea directly to people's homes. It remains a proud, family-run North East institution to this day.

A Yorkshireman in Newcastle.

The story of Ringtons begins with Samuel Smith, a man born in Leeds in 1872 who had grown up immersed in the tea trade, starting work in it as a boy and learning the business inside out over many years. Eager to set up on his own, and prevented by an agreement with a former employer from doing so too close to home, Smith moved to Newcastle in 1907 to launch his own tea delivery business. With a modest initial investment provided by a business partner, William Titterington, he began selling and delivering tea directly to customers' doors, using a horse and cart. From these humble beginnings, a great North East business grew.

The Origin of the Name.

The name Ringtons has an intriguing origin that often surprises people. Contrary to a common assumption, there never was a Mr Ringtons. Instead, the name was cleverly formed by combining part of the surname of the business partner, Titterington, with the initial of the founder, Smith. Taking the last portion of Titterington and adding the S for Smith produced the distinctive and memorable name Ringtons. It is a neat piece of branding that has stood the test of time, and the story behind it is a charming detail in the company's history that few customers would guess.

Tea at Your Door.

The heart of Ringtons has always been its door-to-door delivery service, a personal way of doing business that set it apart and earned it deep customer loyalty. In the early days, the distinctive horse-drawn vans, later replaced by motorised vehicles, became a familiar and welcome sight, bringing tea directly to households across the region. The relationships between the salespeople and their customers were genuinely close, often lasting for many years or even decades, with the same rounds served faithfully over long careers. This personal touch, the idea of a trusted person calling regularly with quality tea, became the company's hallmark and the secret of its enduring appeal.

Growth and a Newcastle Home.

The business expanded steadily through the early twentieth century. By 1914, Smith had bought out his partner's share, and the company was growing into a true family enterprise as his son joined the firm. Following the disruption of the First World War, during which Smith diversified into other goods and made a point of employing returning servicemen, the business boomed. In the 1920s, Ringtons opened a purpose-built factory and head office on Algernon Road in the Byker area of Newcastle, establishing a permanent home in the city. The company's roots in Newcastle have remained firm ever since, even as its reach extended across the country.

A Family Business Through the Generations.

One of the most remarkable things about Ringtons is that, more than a hundred years after its founding, it remains a family business, run by descendants of Samuel Smith through several generations. This continuity is rare and valuable, lending the company a strong sense of heritage and a commitment to the founding values of quality and personal service. While the business has modernised over the decades, expanding its range and updating its methods, it has never abandoned the core idea that made it successful. The familiar vans still call at customers' doors, continuing a tradition that stretches back to that very first horse and cart.

A North East Success Story.

Today, Ringtons is one of the largest tea and coffee businesses of its kind in the country, supplying not only its loyal home delivery customers but also cafes, restaurants and businesses, while exporting its products further afield. Yet for all this growth, it remains proudly tied to Newcastle and the North East, where it began and where it is still based. The company stands as a fine example of a regional business that grew from the humblest of beginnings into a national name, without losing its character or its connection to home.

For many people in the North East, Ringtons is simply part of life, a trusted name and a familiar van that has been calling at the door for generations. From a Yorkshireman with a horse and cart to a thriving family business more than a century later, it is a genuine Newcastle success story, brewed with care and delivered with a personal touch.

More Than Just Tea.

While tea has always been at the heart of Ringtons, the company has long offered far more than just a brew. Over the years its delivery vans have carried a growing range of goods to customers' doors, from coffee and biscuits to cakes, confectionery and gifts, making the regular visit something to look forward to. The company also became well known for its distinctive ceramics, including collectable tea caddies and chinaware that have become treasured items in many households. This broadening of the range helped Ringtons weather changing times, including periods when the simple business of selling tea alone might have struggled. Alongside its famous doorstep service, the company developed a substantial wholesale arm, supplying cafes, restaurants and businesses, as well as a thriving online store. Through all this expansion, however, the personal touch that defined the business from the start has remained central. The familiar vans and the friendly, regular service continue to set Ringtons apart, proof that a century-old idea, delivered with care, can still find a place in modern life.

Join the conversation.

Tell us your own stories and views in the comments section, especially if a Ringtons van still calls at your door.

Did your family ever get their tea delivered by the Ringtons man?