Chairman of the Board

Some words from one of my favourite people, Bill Bryson:

'Dining tables...plain boards called by that name. It was hung on the wall when not in use, and was perched on the diners' knees when food was served....Seating was on plain benches - in French, bancs from which comes 'banquet'. Until the 1600's chairs were rare - the word itself dates only from about 1300 - and were designed not to be comfortable, but to impute authority. Even now, of course, the person in charge of a meeting chairs it, and a person in charge of a company is the chairman of the board - a term that additionally and a little oddly, recalls the dining habits of medieval peasants.

I just love these little facts and pieces of history. They make me smile.