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Perambulator / push-chair

Perambulators, or prams were developed following the realisation that fresh air was beneficial to a child’s health. The first pram factory opened in England in 1840 and produced 3-wheeled vehicles based on the design of invalid chairs (it was illegal to use four-wheels on a pavement). They were seen as status-symbols as only few could afford them, such as royalty and gentry. This early type was only suitable for children who could already sit-up – like the push-chairs of today, but they were not very safe and must have been quite uncomfortable. This is an early three-wheeled example which dates to around 1860-80.