>>>Terry,
>>>
>>>> .. The idea of having umbrella parts, and someone making a living out of fixing them, is so alien here now. ..
>>>
>>>Normaly it need a close look around. I know at least one shop that repairs umbrellas.
>>>
>>>He works for irreplaceable parts. (And sells the cheap ones too).
>>
>>Agnes
>>
>>I don't know if you know the old-old song, from the 20s or 30s (as might have been sung by the likes of Laurel & Hardy): "Any umberellas, any umberellas, to fix today ..." from the days when there were street hawkers calling it up to the houses and shops.
>>
>>Terry
>
>No, never heard.

Youi probably have but not known it :-)

http://ntl.matrix.com.br/pfilho/html/lyrics/u/umbrella_man.txt

and can hear it here:

http://www.mp3.com/albums/407169/summary.html

half way down the page