I was thrilled to see this old coach-built pram outside one of the vintage shops in Saltaire. I can't quite remember the experience but I know I slept in a similar one as a baby. Those were the days of rigid timetables, four-hourly feeds and baby left in a pram at the end of the garden in all weathers! I don't think it did me a lot of harm. In fact, arguably, one of these is cosier and more comfortable than today's modern buggies. Look at the sprung base. As well as the substantial rain hood, you can get huge sunshades for them too, much bigger than those useless little umbrella things you find these days.
The Saltaire Vintage shop (formerly Rose and Brown) on Victoria Road has been through a number of incarnations but it seems to manage to keep on trading, full of all sorts of treasure: clothes, jewellery, textiles, homeware and ephemera. See their Facebook page for lots of pictures of things that (if you're as old as I am) you will almost certainly recognise from your past! Just browsing, I noted a pot that is exactly like one I acquired from somewhere in an earlier life. I use mine as a plant pot holder... turns out to be Hornsea Pottery. Who knew..?
Your photo brought back memories for me. The wife and I had one just like this for our kids.
ReplyDeleteApart from all the things you mentioned Jenny these prams just look so much nicer thanthan the new prams.. more stylish oui!
ReplyDeleteI used to peer out handsomely from one of those when I was a baby. Apparently old prams are particularly hard to come by; most of them get taken apart to make go-karts for small boys. Even museums find it difficult to acquire examples. (Just some of the rubbish you learn from watching "Bargain Hunt"!)
ReplyDeleteoh how your photo brought back memories for me too. When I had my first baby I longed for a Silver Cross pram but we had to make do with a small pram on a frame that could also double as a carrycot. When I was expecting my second baby my husband bought a secondhand full size navy blue Silver Cross pram. He cleaned and tidied it up and it was beautiful. He bought a secondhand sunshade, which was slightly faded, but I felt like royalty pushing my gorgeous pram around!
ReplyDeleteYou certainly don't see those these days! No cup holders on them!
ReplyDeleteI had one of those prams for my dolls as I was a kid!
ReplyDeleteAnd I think that I was in such a pram too as a baby ..
Just think how many babies were left outside the shop in the pram all those years ago and never a worry about it!
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