Tea in those days [1864, ed.] was not the universal necessity it has since become, and there were no regular tea-shops. What economical folks did I cannot say ; probably Want was their Master, as the nursery phrase is, — but our fairy god- mother took us straight to Gunter's, and we drew up in the cool shade of the gardens opposite. Berkeley Square was umbrageous then as now, and it was the custom for advantage to be taken of the over- hanging branches of the trees, and form a line of vehicles facing the great confectioner's shop, the horses' heads turned outwards. There we sat, and sipped peach ices — unequalled by any other ices in the world. And as we were invariably thirsty afterwards, water was brought out to us, bedewing the tumblers. We preferred water to anything else — Gunter's water at least ; and we liked our gallants to come and stand beside the carriage, and — but no matter — no matter.

Lucy Bethia Walford, Memories of Victorian London, 1912