How I use historical research to develop content

When I do genealogical or archival research to determine the timelines of historical properties, I often go through the inventories drawn up after a property owner’s death. These inventories are a rich source of information on the individual’s properties and wealth; they also provide tantalising adjacent information.

The first time I saw chocolate cups in an inventory, I recall thinking ‘Oh but that is interesting’. It provided an evocative, almost modern, glimpse into conspicuous consumption at the Cape during the 18th century.

The following fictitious case study illustrates how I develop narrative content.

Case study: Coffee shop

Historical context can add an interesting narrative or backstory for coffee shop attached to a high-end hotel or guesthouse. This is especially true in the case of a historical property or a property with a heritage footprint.

Phase 1: Inventories and the consumption habits of the wealthy

My first step would be to look for the earliest references to coffee consumption at the Cape of Good Hope. Inventories of the early 18th century sometimes list chocolate cups with saucers (chocolaatkopjes met pierings), tea sets (theegoed), and coffee sets (coffigoet). 

For instance, Anna de Koning’s inventory (1734) of household goods shows that she owned two chocolate decanters (chokalaat kannen) and 23 chocolate cups (chokalade kopjes), as well as tea and coffee sets. Olaf Bergh’s widow was indeed a wealthy woman who loved chocolate.

Phase 2: Global supplies of coffee in the context of the Cape of Good Hope

The next step would be to look at coffee consumption within the context of the global trade in coffee. Specifically, I would look for academic articles and books on coffee cultivation in Ethiopia and Yemen, the trade routes around the Cape, and colonial plantations in the East and West Indies.

For centuries Yemen was the main supplier of coffee beans to the Middle East and Europe. Anna de Koning’s inventory of 1734 predates the significant shift in coffee bean production from Yemen to the West Indies. From the 1750s onwards, French and Dutch merchants dominated the trade in coffee, with close to 80% of coffee beans sold in Europe were from the West Indies.

Phase 3: The history of the property

In the final phase, I generally examine the building, other historical buildings in the street and historical events that can be linked to the building or its owners. The idea is to add bridging stories that will resonate with contemporary coffee drinkers.

Note, this example does not consider the budget constraints that would otherwise curb the time allocated to historical research. However, the general principles remain the same.