The Baltimore County union., 1881-04-16
THE FIRST UMBRELLA.

II is generally stated that Jonas Han
way, the well-known philanthropist, was
the first man who carried an umbrella
in the streets OF London. Hanway died
in 1886. Early in the century large
umbrella was kept in the halls Of aristo-
cratic mansions, for the special protcc-
ton Of the lady of the house in passing
from her door to the coach; and il was
not uncommon to keep such articles in
the coffee-houses Of taverns for the bene-
fit Of customers, as early as Queen Anne's
reign.
The fact, however, is not the less true,
that it is only within the lifetime Of per-
sons now living that this almost indis-
pensable protection from the mists and
rain has become generally adopted. In
the ESmaLe TaHitv Of December Iath,
1909, appears satirical notice, inform
ing the "young gentleman belonging to
the custom house, who, for fear Of rain,
borrowed the umbrella at Wills coffee
house, Cornhill, Of the Mistress" that
"to be dry from head to foot on the like
occasion, he shall be welcome to the
maids pattens."
Gay mentions the umbrella rs early as
I7I2, in his poem of "Trivia," in which
he describes the "tucked up seamstress"
walking in shower, while streams "run
down her oiled umbrella Sides" Mr..
J. Jameson, Scottish surgeon, brought
with him from Paris, in 1881 or 1881,
an umbrella, which was the first seen in
Glasgow, where he resided, and where
it attracted great attention.
The earliest specimens of the English
umbrella were made, as mentioned in
Gays lines, of oiled silk, which, when
wet, was exceedingly difficult to open or
close. The stick and furniture were
heavy and inconvenicnt, and the article
very expensive. lis transition to the
present portable form is due partly
to the substitution of silk and gingham
for the heavy and troublesome oiled silk,
which admits Of the ribs and strecher
being made much lighter, and also to
the many ingenious mechanical improve
ments of the framework which have been
made from time to time, several of which
have been patented. No change has
proved a greater convenience than that
from the old-fashioned ring and string
for securing the umbrella when closed,
to the simple clip and India rubber braid
now in use; and yet before this was ac-
complshed, many transitions had to be
passed through.
Though the umbrella is itself Of older
date, there is nothing to invalidate the
story that il is to the good Jonas Han
way that we are indebted for the valua-
bic example Of moral courage in first
carrying an umbrella in the streets Of
London. II is difficult now to conceive
the amount Of persecution which this
strange proceeding entailed upon the
unfortunate philanthropist, whose object
was, doubtless, less the protection Of his
own person than that Of showing his fel-
low countrymen how they might avoid
those continual drenchings to which
they had so long submitted.
The hackney coachman and the sedan
chairman were the first to call out against
the innovation, declaring that they were
ruined il it came into fashion. When
they began to be carried, even gentle.
man accompanied by 4 lady, under the
shelter Of the new-fangled rain protec.
tor, were hooted as they passed along;
while 4 gentleman alone carrying one
was certain to be attacked with cries Of
"Frenchman Frenchman. why don't
you call coach?" and other more often.
sivc salutations.