Casgliadau Arlein

Perambulator

In the late 1800s two new types of prams were manufactured for babies to lie flat; one was the basinette – a wicker crib on a wheeled frame and this pram is a developed version that proved the most popular. It was made by a well-known London pram manufacturer, Hitchings Lund, in 1904. This type and hung from leather straps on two C-springs to ensure a smoth ride and had metal wheels rather than the expensive wooden ones. It belonged to the Patrick Wyndham Murray Threipland (1904-1963) of New House, Llanishen and has their family crest painted on the side. Also an umberella basket is strapped beneath the front.

The other type, shown here, was known as a 'mail cart'. It was based on the handcarts used by Post Office staff for delivering letters and small parcels. One difference is the smaller pair of wheels at the front: they are copied from horse drawn vehicles, and make it easier to move the pram in a small space. Mail cart prams, together with a pull-along version for older children, really caught the public imagination. They were extremely popular from the 1870s to the outbreak of the First World War, despite problems with steering, instability and safety.