london090 Thomas Twining (1675-1741) founded the HOUSE of TWINING by purchasing the original TOMS COFFEE HOUSE at the back of this site in 1706, where he introduced tea. In 1717 he opened the GOLDEN LYON here as a shop to sell tea and coffee. In 1787 his grandson Richard Twining (1749-1824) built the handsome doorway incorporating his Grandfather's GOLDEN LYON symbol and two Chinese figures. Twinings is believed to be the oldest company to have traded continuously on the same site with the same family since its foundation.