I was wondering if anyone knows approximately when the tradition of having cocktails for an hour or so before dinner started? I'm writing a story set at an English house party, around 1894: the hero needs an opportunity to tell his host about the ZOMG CREEPY THING that happened earlier, and that seemed like a good occasion, but I'm not sure if the custom was actually going on by that point.
Googled "Victorian cocktail hour," "Victorian Dinner party", "Cocktail hour 1890s", "Dinner party 1890s."
Thanks!
