I think I may just have discovered the most interesting useless fact ever...
While the umbrella has become an indispensible prop of the british gentleman, apparantly the true gentleman never opens it. Using an umbrella suggests that you are too poor to afford a carriage! A gentleman should only use his umbrella to keep a lady dry, or have it carried over him by his servant as he get's in and out of a carriage. In all other cases, it should be closed and used as a walking stick or weapon...
http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/arc2005/alm05nov.htm
