Jonas Hanway (1712–1786) is an unsung hero whose kindness and eccentricities deserve a more prominent place in history than they have enjoyed until now…
To many, Hanway will always be remembered as the first man in London to carry an umbrella. This attracted much ridicule in the 1750s, especially from the city’s coach-drivers, who were worried they would lose trade on rainy days if the idea caught on. The umbrella, or ‘portable roof’, was a common sight in Paris, and Londoners regularly bombarded Hanway with cries of ‘Frenchman! Frenchman! Why don’t you call a coach?’ Umbrellas were a curiosity in England, and because Daniel Defoe’s popular character, Robinson Crusoe, fashioned one for himself from skins, they were often referred to as ‘Robinsons’ in both England and France. Hanway got the idea in Persia while travelling on business. The Persians had been using parasols for some time, since they were imported by Chinese merchants on the Silk Road. In addition to protecting himself from the inclement British weather with an umbrella, Hanway sported several layers of stockings, and wore flannel underwear to ward off ill-health, which he worried about a great deal throughout his seventy-four years.
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http://www.georgianlondon.com/guest-post-by-adrian-teal-philanthropy-umbrel
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