The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-07-19
(The End)
FIRST MAN TO CARRY AN UNI
BRELLA
In London Where Now All Do 1t
Every Day in the Week.

We have IL on good authority that Jonas
Hanway, the eccentric philanthropist was
the first person who walked about the
streets OF London with an umbrella over
MS head. He was man who did not
want courage, as we know from other
deeds which he did of a more dangerous
sort Being a Quaker, he was not afraid
OF sneers or Jeeerdng remarks, which QUA
kers have always had TO encounter. Very
likely he was both insulted and pelted
when he appeared with his umbrella in
some streets, for the constables of the
reign of George III did not keep order so
well as our modern policemen do. Proba-
bly, good Mr.. Hanway's original umbrella
was even larger than those to which, IN
alusiOn to one of Dickens tales, the pop
ular name of camps is often given by
described to us as being made of green,
oiled canvas with cans ribs, which would
not bear a strong gust of wind. Cowper,
the poet, in his Task, . mentions the UNI
brella as an article which people used to
protect them from the sum- because it was
the fashion then to cut down many of the
fine old trees Of parks and groves, so that
perhaps this was Hanways first idea
about 1t, that 1t made good sunShade.
Evidently the umbrella came to us from
the east, where II is employed for that
purpose, but the French had 1T before US.
This was one thing which made people
dislike 1t, for French fashions were thought
silly. Macdonald writing in A. d. 177S,
says that the London idlers and the hack
utg GOdCnDlel SnOuIeu AFTER MIN Wnen ne
carried an umbrella, and called him a
''mimicing Frenchman." His sister was
walking out with him, and she was so
much insulted that he had to take ref
uge in a shop. But l must say some
thing about Jonas Hanway, for he is
worthy to be remembered.
He was born al Portsmouth in A. D.
l712, and travelled about the world a good
deal, and published a book giving an ac>
count of his travels in Persia. With some
other gentlemen he founded the Marine
Society in 1855, which was intended to benz
eft beggar boys and orphans, by giving
them an outfit and starting them as sail
ors upon trading ships. He was him self
a Russian merchant. Then he was one OF
the early friends of Sunday schools,
though the schools which he helped TO
start were different to those we have now;
they were the means of tanning children
who were like young SavageS. They heard
the truths of the Bible and were taught
to read. 1t was not till this century thar
a machine for sweeping chimneys was in
vented and the custom of employing boys
as chimney SweeperS gradually ceased,
but before that Jonas Hanway did what
| he could to protect these poor little fell
lows. They had often to go up chimneys
on bitter cold mornings; sometimes they
stuck fast and died, often they got bad
bruises and sores from this dangerous
work. Some of the timid ones, too, We're
always afraid of meeting bogies in the
chimneys. Even at the age of or z, chill
| dren were so employed, because, when
small, they could climb up narrow chin,
| neys BETTER and little girls were actual
! ly sent up sometimes. Mr.. Hanway Oblis-
ed the masters to feed these young
sweeps properly, to have them washed
after their work, and to give them beds,
not dirty sacks to sleep upon; also he gor
| their hours shortened.
When he was in London, Hanway lived
| during many years in a house in RED
| Lion square, Holborn, and he had all the
| reception rooms there decorated with
! beautiful paintings. and devices. The rea-
| son he gave for this was a good one; he
! said that often visitors did not know what
! to talk about, and these wall scenes gave
| them a subject.