Page 89 - Ian Marshall - London Coffe Houses - Standing Display January 2016

Old Hummums Coffee House
The Piazza, Covent Garden

(1790-1865)
Located in the Piazza, it was established as a bagnio long before any
contemporary mention of a coffee house is found. The original
Hummums opened in 1699 but burned down in 1768 and was re-built
under the proprietorship ofa Mr. Rigg. It adopted the title "Old
Hummums" when another coffee house opened nearby and called itself
"New Hummums".
The term hummum appears to be a corruption ofhammum, the Arabic
word for a warm bath, or bagnio. Bagnio is derived from the Italian word
bagno - a bathing house. With the introduction of such facilities in
London in the latter part of the 17th C, the words hummums and bagnio
came into common use. In London, these became houses ofrefreshment;
many became known as coffee houses or had coffee-houses or rooms
attached, that attracted a coffee-house following and character.

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