Button's Coffee House facts for kids
Button's Coffee House was a popular meeting spot in London, England, during the 1700s. It was a type of cafe where people gathered to drink coffee, read newspapers, and chat. This famous coffee house was located on Russell Street, in an area called Covent Garden. This area was right between the busy City and the government center of Westminster.
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A Famous Meeting Place
Button's Coffee House became well-known around 1712. It was started by a man named Daniel Button. He used to work for the Countess of Warwick. A famous writer named Joseph Addison helped Daniel Button open his business.
Before Button's, another coffee house called Will's Coffee House was criticized in a newspaper called The Tatler. This helped Button's Coffee House become more popular nearby.
The Lion's Head Letterbox
One of the most famous things about Button's Coffee House was a special letterbox. It was a white marble sculpture shaped like a lion's head. Many people believe the famous artist William Hogarth designed it.
There was a Latin message carved on the lion's head. It meant: "Those claws are kept for mighty necks: He feeds only on the beast of his choice." People would put their writings into the lion's mouth. These writings might then be published in Joseph Addison's weekly newspaper, The Guardian, which started in 1713.
Famous Visitors
Many important people visited Button's Coffee House. These included writers and thinkers like Joseph Addison himself, Alexander Pope, and Jonathan Swift. They would meet there to discuss ideas and work on their writings.
What Happened to Button's?
Daniel Button, the owner, passed away in 1730. His coffee house continued for a while but eventually closed its doors in 1751.
The famous lion's head letterbox was moved several times after the coffee house closed. It went to the Shakespeare Tavern and other places. Finally, the Duke of Bedford bought it for his large country home, Woburn Abbey.
Today, the spot where Button's Coffee House once stood is a Starbucks coffee shop. It's located at 10 Russell Street, near the Covent Garden Market and the Royal Opera House. The marble lion head used to be on the wall where the Starbucks community notice board is now.
