popular among English men until the 19th century. See the link below.
There are many 19th century touches in the Shire and amongst the hobbits in
both LotR and The Hobbit. Much of the humor in both books is seeing
hobbits modeled on rural Victorian Englishmen in the middle of a fantasy based
on ancient tales. This is even more pronounced in The Hobbit. In
LotR, Tolkein did try to be more subtle about it, even changing references to
tomatoes, calling tobacco pipeweed, and calling potatoes taters. But the
Shire itself is still a land of post offices, umbrellas, and even an allusion
to the express train to
Bywater.
“I dislike Allegory - the conscious and intentional allegory - yet any attempt to explain the purport of myth or fairytale must use allegorical language. (And, of course, the more 'life' a story has the more readily will it be susceptible of allegorical interpretations: while the better a deliberate allegory is made the more nearly will it be acceptable just as a story.)” (From Tolkien Letter # 131.)
