Under my umbrella

With the rainy season already here, it’s time to break out the umbrellas.

A must have accessory for the rainy months ahead, the umbrella began to be used in England around 1700, as a shelter from the elements, although its initial use was as protection from the sun.

The Ancient Egyptians used a version of an umbrella, and so did the ancient civilisations of China, Greece, Rome, and South America.
The term comes from the Latin root word umbra, meaning shadow.

The Chinese invented the first waterproof umbrella as protection from rain, when they waxed and lacquered their paper parasols.
Today there are two main types of umbrella, straight and folding.

Straight umbrellas are a traditional type of non-collapsible parasol, while the folding versions are more compact, easily foldable and can fit into a handbag or glove compartment.

Pictured: Wallace Cotton and Blunt ‘Secret Garden’ umbrella.