Ada Lovelace, Enchantress of Numbers

Although her father, the poet Lord Byron, may be the more well-known of the pair, it was Ada Lovelace’s mother, Annabella Milbanke, who acted as the role model for her daughter’s iconoclastic and pioneering contributions to the field of computer science. Lady Byron encouraged Ada’s interest and aptitude in science and mathematics and shared her own love of astronomy and geometry, raising a young woman who came to be called “the Enchantress of Numbers” by her colleague and friend, British inventor Charles Babbage. Among Lovelace’s numerous scientific contributions, some of the most significant involve her work on Babbage’s theoretical mechanical computer, known as the Analytical Engine, including development of an algorithm used to calculate the seventh Bernoulli number, resulting in Lovelace being widely recognized as the first computer programmer.

The iconic tea flavor “Earl Grey” was invented during the Countess of Lovelace’s lifetime, and its heady aroma reminds us of her highly cerebral character. When we decided to create a tea based upon her personality, the strong yet poetic blend of bergamot oil with black tea was ideally suited.