The English umbrella was born when, in 1788, Jonas Hanway stepped out onto the rainy streets of London with an ungainly, heavy contraption held over his head.
Hanway is credited with introducing the umbrella into England but it had been used in other parts of the world for thousands of years, primarily as protection from the sun and also for religious and ceremonial occasions. It did not, however, really catch on for another sixty years when another Englishman, Samuel Fox, designed a lightweight version.
Over the years the English have developed a very special relationship with the umbrella and today it is one of the most popular (and very practical too) souvenirs that visitors from all over the world take away with them. However, there are umbrellas and there are umbrellas, and if you want the very best you can buy, you go to the best place.
The English Umbrella - Where to buy your umbrella.
Located on a busy corner on New Oxford Street in central London, James Smith & Sons is a perfect example of a Victorian shop, practically unchanged since it opened in 1850. Right from the beginning it was a great success and drew people from all over London, including prime ministers William Gladstone, Bonar Law and Lord Curzon. The shop has remained in the same family since the mid l9th century.
So what is it that makes these umbrellas better than those you'd buy elsewhere? One of the things is tradition The umbrellas are still being made in the way they were over 150 years ago. Everything is assembled by hand and you can purchase one that comfortably fits your height and size, with a larger frame if necessary. You can also have your name engraved on a silver band on the handle and have the stick made from some of the finest woods available.
There are hardy outdoor umbrellas, patio umbrellas and folding umbrellas in all colours and sizes. The solid stick umbrella is where the handle and stick are made from one piece of wood but you can also choose from a wide range of handles if you want something a little different. There are handles, carved in the shape of cats. ducks or parrot heads. And best of all, the antique handles: silver swans, exquisite porcelain or dark ebony. As for the covers, the classic English umbrella is black but you can also have them with covers in paisley, plaid, chintz, stripes or flowers.
The English Umbrella - Or walking sticks and canes
You may well walk into James Smith & Sons with the intention of buying an umbrella and come out with a fine walking stick or walking cane instead - the decorative walking canes are particularly attractive. In 1809, in Hints to the Bearers of Walking-Sticks and Umbrellas. John Shute Duncan wrote about pests among carriers of walking sticks. These are self-explanatory and included: fencer, twirler, arguer, and unicorn - whose stick is held horizontally to the front. In the final paragraph of the book he informs the world that he will shortly open an academy at the Lyceum in the Strand "for the purpose of drilling Ladies and Gentlemen in the approved method of handling Walking-Sticks and Umbrellas with a view to individual grace and general convenience." Which only goes to show how seriously these things were taken nearly two hundred years ago.
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