THE UMBRELLA

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 3614, 15 September 1927, Page 11

THE UMBRELLA

Though not introduced into Eng-;, land till the reign of George 111, umbrellas are very ancient. They were used as part of tho pomp of the kings of Nineveh and Egypt. Later they were used by the ladies of Greece and of Rome. Tho first to use an umbrella in England was s man named Jonas Hanway. Ho attracted much attention. Little boys shouted after him, and older peopl e passed remarks that wure not always complimentary; nevertheless, he went on carrying his umbrella, finding it a shade from the heat and a shelter from the snow and raiiu Good Jonas Hanway, a kind-hearted gentleman, was a friend of poor children, and an Inaugurator and supporter of many good causes for the benefit of his fellows. With their covers of oiled cloth and their ribs of cane, umbrellas must have bs-en very clumsy things (says a contributor to the Newcastle Weekly Chronicle). Later whalebone was used for the ribs. Some had them covered with feather* thinking, no doubt, that the rain would run off them like water off the back of a duck. Improvements followed. however. In 1848 a certain maker got the idea of using alpaca for covers, and in 1852 th e paragon ribs were invented by Fox. Thus our modern umbrellas became possible.