Mary Twining

[2] Mary Little was born on 9 August 1726 in Wisbech, England, and was the eldest daughter of Richard Little Esq., a merchant.

Daniel (1748-1765) was supposedly killed by a blow to the head from a cricket ball while studying at Eton College.

Under her leadership, Twinings' global exports grew and the business remained stable, despite the taxation of tea rising to 119 percent during this period.

[9] The 18-year war ultimately cost England a fortune, plunged the country into debt, and made taxes on tea as well as other imports go up in an attempt to compensate.

In effect, the East India Company’s monopoly, artificially high prices, and fixed import supply threw fuel to the fire of a thriving smuggling trade, and by 1784 smuggled tea made up for an estimated two-thirds of all tea consumption in Great Britain.