History of Strollers
Ever since babies have been born, parents have looked for a convenient way of traveling with their children. From slings to pouches, babies have been transported in a number of ways. Today we do it a bit differently, but how did we get our modern day strollers? Where did it all start? The idea of a baby stroller first came into being with a man named William Kent. He was a garden architect in England who had become very well known for his work. In 1733, the Duke
of Devonshire asked Kent to build a means of transportation that would amuse his children. Kent obliged by constructing a shell shaped basket on wheels that the children could sit in. This was richly decorated and meant to be pulled by a goat or small pony. Kent's idea caught on and soon other royal family owned similar contraptions.
In 1840, the baby carriage became extremely popular. Queen Victoria bought three carriages from Hitchings Baby Store. Though these models were very tall and relatively unsafe, they were in fashion. If you wanted to be part of high society, you had to own a baby carriage.
The carriages of those days were much different than today. They were built of wood or wicker and held together by expensive brass joints. These were very fancy and became heavily ornamented works of art. Models were also named after royalty. Princess and Duchess were popular names, as well as Balmoral and Windsor.
Up until this time, baby carriages had always been pulled by a pony or dog, but then in 1848, a new design appeared. American Charles Burton decided to put handles on carriages so that the parents could actually use the vehicle as a means of transporting their children. This idea was not accepted in America, so Burton moved to England and was hired by individuals such as Queen Victoria, Queen Isabella, and the Pasha of Egypt.
In June of 1889, a new carriage design came on to the public scene. William Richardson patented his idea of the first reversible stroller. The bassinet was designed so it could face out or in towards the parent. He also made structural changes to the carriage. Until then the axils did not allow each wheel to move separately. Richardson's design allowed this which increased maneuverability of the carriages.
As the 1920s, began, World War I was coming to an end. Modern baby carriages were now an available to all families. They were also becoming safer as new features like larger wheels, brakes, deeper prams, and lower, sturdier frames began to appear. By 1950, these carriages were a must have for all families.
In 1965, Owen Maclaren, an aeronautical engineer, listened to his daughter complain about traveling from England to America with her heavy pram. Maclaren knew that she needed something with a light frame that could fold up compactly. Using his knowledge of airplanes, Maclaren built an aluminum frame and created the first true umbrella stroller. This design took off and soon "strollers" were easier to transport and used everywhere.
By 1980, another huge step in stroller design was taken. Phil Baechler decided he wanted to do some running and take his son with him. He saw that the stroller he owned would never hold up to this activity, so he took the wheels off his bike and tried it out. After several attempts he finally worked out the Baby Jogger design.
Since the 1980s, the stroller industry has come leaps and bounds. New features, safer construction, and more accessories have opened up a whole new world to parents of infants and toddlers.
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