▁for ▁the ▁war ▁effort . ▁They ▁had ▁such ▁a ▁h ug ely ▁positive ▁effect ▁on ▁mor ale ▁they ▁became ▁common place ▁in ▁all ▁areas ▁of ▁work , ▁mobile ▁can te ens ▁even ▁serving ▁military ▁units ▁on ▁exer cis es . ▁They ▁were ▁present ▁in ▁a ▁works ▁can teen ▁or ▁perhaps ▁came ▁round ▁with ▁a ▁t rol ley , ▁on ▁which ▁was ▁usually ▁a ▁tea ▁ur n ▁full ▁of ▁either ▁hot ▁tea ▁or ▁hot ▁water , ▁and ▁perhaps ▁a ▁selection ▁of ▁c akes ▁and ▁b uns . ▁ ▁Dec line ▁ ▁This ▁occupation ▁began ▁to ▁die ▁out ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁to ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁when ▁tea ▁ladies ▁began ▁to ▁be ▁replaced ▁by ▁private ▁c ater ing ▁fir ms ▁and ▁v ending ▁machines , ▁as ▁business es ▁expanded ▁and ▁women ▁moved ▁into ▁different ▁jobs . ▁The ▁tradition ▁of ▁the ▁tea ▁break , ▁from ▁which ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁tea ▁lady ▁rose , ▁has ▁itself ▁decl ined , ▁also ▁offering ▁a ▁possible ▁explanation ▁why ▁tea ▁ladies ▁are ▁not ▁commonly ▁found ▁today . ▁ ▁In ▁Britain , ▁market ▁research ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁showed ▁that ▁of ▁those ▁workers ▁who ▁d rank ▁more ▁than ▁four ▁cu ps ▁of ▁tea ▁a ▁day , ▁only ▁ 2 % ▁of ▁them ▁received ▁it ▁from ▁a ▁tea ▁lady , ▁whereas ▁ 6 6 % ▁received ▁it ▁from ▁an ▁ur n , ▁and ▁ 1 5 % ▁from ▁a ▁v ending ▁machine . ▁▁ ▁In ▁Australia , ▁Jen ny ▁Stewart , ▁Professor