Whether used for rain or to give people a bit of a break from the burning sun, umbrellas have been around for thousands of years– in China, Japan, or ancient Egypt.
In spite of their rainy, umbrella-loving reputation, England was a bit slow to adopt this delightful device. At first it was considered a woman’s fancy. Men either got wet or took a taxi, so taxi drivers were happy to join in the anti-umbrella machismo.
Jonas Hanway, a man wanting social change for better and worse, perhaps grew tired of seeing proud, stubborn men die of pneumonia. He started carrying around an umbrella and ignored the merciless teasing. Today, British men have him to thank that they are able to carry umbrellas, with or without daggers, rapiers or bunnies on them.
This has been today’s Tuesday trivia tidbit.