King's Lynn steampunks descend on Hunstanton for 'tea duel'

But there was more tea than anarchy when the steampunks blew into Hunstanton - for a biscuit dunking contest.

So-called tea duels have become synonymous with the movement, inspired by Jules Verne novels and Victorian technology.

Richard Bibb (left) and John Wood go head to head in a tea duel under the watchful eye of tiffin mistress Libby Wood (Image: Chris Bishop)

When the gloves come off and the malted milks come out, things take a decidedly sedate turn.

King's Lynn Steampunk Society, which has more than 400 followers on Facebook, staged a demonstration match at Georgies Cafe in Hunstanton as the town was gearing up for its Christmas light switch-on.

Waitresses bustled in and out of the smart High Street eaterie on Sunday, as tiffin mistress Libby Wood donned her red robe to oversee proceedings.

Steampunks tea duelling in Hunstanton (Image: Chris Bishop)

"The last person whose biscuit collapses is the winner," explained steampunk Deborah Bibb.

"You've got to eat it after the other person without your biscuit collapsing. It's not as complicated as it sounds - if your biscuit collapses, you lose."

Mrs Wood dismissed suggestions the sport was a little on the tame side.

"We can be fairly rebellious," she said. "We like a sip of gin from time to time."

Richard Bibb concentrates intensely on his malted milk as he wills it not to collapse (Image: Chris Bishop)

She said tea duels had followed the steampunk movement as it spread around the world as far afield as America, New Zealand and Australia.

As the first cups were poured, her number one priority was to watch out for cheating.

"If you half dunk your biscuit you could be heckled," she said. "But we don't ban anyone, we're not like that.

It's all over for Libby Wood as her biscuit keels over in a tea duel (Image: Chris Bishop)

"We just do it for fun. There is a trophy, but it's not a very big one."

After one or two face-offs came to a soggy end, members of the public were offered a go in the hot seat.

First up was shopkeeper Sally Hill. The punks looked rattled as she reached for her malted milk.

Sally Hill looks confidently at her biscuit after giving it a generous dunk (Image: Chris Bishop)

"This woman knows what she's doing," one whispered. "Look at the way she's holding that biscuit."

But Mrs Hill's hopes crumbled after she gave it too long in the tea. 

"I'm going to complain," she said. "It was a dodgy biscuit."

It all goes horribly wrong for Sally Hill after her biscuit collapsed (Image: Chris Bishop)

How punks' look was inspired

The Steampunk movement has its origins in the 1980s, when the term was coined by US science fiction writer KW Jeter for those inspired by 19th-century writers such as Jules Verne and HG Wells, along with Victorian dress and fantasy machines and gadgets which might have been dreamed up in that era.

King's Lynn Steampunk Society founders Selena and Alan Lennon (Image: Taz Ali)

Walt Disney's 1954 film of Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is considered one of the key visual inspirations for the Steampunk look, including the design of submarine the Nautilus, along with the crew's clothing and equipment.  

Fashion fuses modern styles with 19th century staples like tailcoats and top hats for men and corsets, gowns and petticoats for women.  

Outfits are accessorized with period accessories like ornate timepieces, goggles and parasols.