While ever there are babies, there will always be a demand for baby transport. Whether it be a sling or a pram, the requirement is for something that can be used to carry the baby safely from place to place. Over the years fashions have changed to meet the demands of modern living and the way babies are transported is no exception.

At the end of the 19^th century, babies were transported in prams which were similar in design to horse drawn carriages, being “coachbuilt” – a coach being a large covered four wheeled carriage. These early prams were referred to as baby carriages, later to be called perambulators, the term “Perambulate” meaning “the act of passing through”. The word “perambulator” was soon abbreviated to “pram” and is still used nowadays. In the USA prams are called “strollers” which means the same thing, “to stroll” or “to perambulate”.

The young parents of today are probably the last generation who were wheeled around in large coachbuilt prams. It was around the 1970’s that modern lifestyle forced the change from coachbuilt to collapsible prams, mothers of that time needed a pram that could be folded to put in the car. This picture of a Silver Cross Carlton is one of the first prams made with a detachable chassis.

But even with these kind of prams the days of pram pushing were declining, it was quicker to go everywhere by car than to push the pram.

Now with eveyone caring about the environment, people are returning to walking instead of driving everywhere, a modern pram will not stand the mileage the same as a traditional coachbuilt pram. Compare the size of the wheels on this small coachbuilt pram, they will withstand a lot of travelling, much more than the modern pram wheels. And look at the “footprint” of a traditional pram compared with a modern one – there really isn’t a lot of difference.

Perhaps you are a parent, or grandparent, who cares about the environment and prefers to walk instead of taking the car, if so do tell us more.

Pram of the Month is the Beverley model by Silver Cross, on a tubular chassis, a chrome lover’s knot on the sides. The handle folded over and the body was detachable from the chassis, and similar to a lot of prams in the Sixties this also had double mudguards.

The Beverley was named, as were other SX models, after a town in Yorkshire. Beverley is a very nice old market town with its imposing Minster, a beautiful old church, standing proud in the town centre.

I wonder if anyone living in the Beverley chose this particular pram solely because of the name?

This is about a soft bodied Silver Cross, the Braemar model, from the seventies. 

This pram brings back memories of when I was expecting my first child; I was certain that the only pram for me had to be Silver Cross. However, a large coachbuilt model was out of the question because I needed a pram that would easily fit into my Mini car.

A few months before my baby was due my mum and I went along to the large pram shop in Leeds, near where I lived, this was called Sillers. I explained to the saleslady what I needed and despite my mum disapproving of  my choice I settled for the Braemar. My mum preferred Marmet prams and she was not at all happy about the new detachable prams anyway, whatever make, but this one seemed ideal for me, the body folded flat as well as the chassis folding down. It would be perfect for my needs!

Having paid a deposit I was asked to fill in a form with the expected date of my baby’s birth, if the baby arrived on the date stated I would receive the pram for free!!! I put down the 20th of February as this was the date I had been given. This predicting the date of your baby’s birth was quite common in the early seventies, but then of course when induced births became more frequent shops realised people were more likely to accurately know the date of their baby’s arrival so they stopped giving the prams free.

Anyway, I wouldn’t have got the pram free because my baby not only decided to arrive early but I had also changed my mind about the pram I wanted. On the way home from the ante natal clinic one day I saw a pram I liked better in the window of a furniture shop (remember how at one time prams were often sold in such shops?) So I persuaded my husband that I preferred this to the one on order and we went in and paid a deposit. I then rang Sillers to cancel my order for the Braemar, asking for the return of my deposit. They wouldn’t refund the money, but agreed to give me a credit note which I later used to buy some reins or something, I really can’t remember.

I am not sure how much the actual cost was for the Braemar pram, I think it was around £45 which seems a pittance these days! Perhaps if I decide to add to my pram collection again I might just look out for this model, which I still quite like.

The story of my first pram doesn’t end here though, having got my chosen pram home I realised that even though it was a soft body, detachable chassis model, it was still too large to fit in my Mini!  So I had to persuade my husband that I also needed a carrycot and transporter if I was ever to take the baby out on my own in my car. He couldn’t see the problem because the pram fitted quite easily in his larger car, the pram body on the back seat and the chassis in the boot, but eventually he came round to my point of view and I got my carrycot. But then I needed a pushchair……! And so it went on!

Perhaps this was the start of my “obsession” with prams, you may be thinking? Oh no, it started much earlier than that but that is a story for another time!

Can you remember when you chose your pram for your first baby? If so please leave a comment on the website www.VintagePramFan.com

KEEP YOUR PRAM FRESH

If prams have not been used for some time, or stored in cold, damp conditions, they often pick up a musty odour. There are several remedies you could try to alleviate this.

However, I cannot stress enough how important it is to make sure there is no mould in the pram bed or underneath the bed unit, if the pram is to be used for a baby. Prams that have been stored in garages, lofts etc may have mould growth which is not visible and this can be dangerous for babies.

There are other posts on the website about mould, but this one is primarily concerned with freshening up a pram that has perhaps not been used for a short while.

Personally I always wipe down the interior vinyl of the bed section, as well as hood and apron linings, with one of the following solutions, this gets rid of surface dirt as well as helping neutralise odours:

• A drop of Ammonia  added to a Stardrops solution.
• Soda crystals dissolved in hot water
• A solution of white vinegar and water
• Warm water and bicarbonate of soda

Once this has dried you can then use one of the following remedies to freshen it up even more:

• Sprinkle the interior of the pram with bicarbonate of soda.

• Spray with fabric freshener.
• Split a vanilla pod down the middle, wrap it in kitchen towel and place it in the pram.
• Dab a wad of cotton wool with Vanilla essence
• Place a cut lemon in the pram
• Place a bar of baby soap in the pram (this was a tip passed on by a Vintage Pram Fan).

Other remedies include using Neutodrol spray or powder, or sprinkling baby talc into the bed area, brush this in well and then vacuum out using accessory tools.

If you have any other tips you would like to share with us please leave a comment on the website www.VintagePramFan.com

Any metal which has been allowed to rust badly will in time disintegrate,  to avoid your pram ending up like this then make sure you look after it properly! (photo copyright S Sevenfold)

Prams that have been stored for a long time in damp conditions may have chromework that has rusted. If the chrome hasn’t deteriorated too much, it can probably be cleaned up to a reasonable shiny state.

Pitting” means there are tiny spots of rust beginning to appear on the chrome, this is usually easy to remedy.

“Flaking” is when parts of the chrome have rusted so badly that parts of it have actually flaked off, exposing the metal underneath. If the chrome is flaking in lots of places then the best thing is to have the chrome redone. Do ask around for quotes before you decide who to use as costs can vary. Look in the local phone directories or google search for companies which deal with chromium plating. Alternatively a repair workshop which deals with motorbike repairs is a good place to contact as motorbikes often have a lot of chrome on them and they will be used to rechroming queries. Failing that, ask at a car repair company, or someone who does cycle repairs.

(picture copyright C Guthier)

If you decide the rust is not too bad then have a go yourself at cleaning it up. There are various tried and tested ways to do this so read on.

Aluminium foil dipped in vinegar is fine if the rust spots are only small, or use a brillo pad, but both these are abrasive and will leave tiny scratches on the chromework, so use carefully.

A scrunchie made from acrylic knitting yarn is ideal for removing light marks as it is not too abrasive. To make a scrunchie  knit or crochet a small square, or use the wool scrunched into a ball, and it is easy to rub over the chromework.

If there is a lot of rust and it is not flaking too badly, the best thing to do is to clean up the chrome with white spirit and  very fine wire wool, or a brass brush dipped in white spirit. Or you can use WD40 instead of white spirit. These methods are very abrasive and will remove the rust, but be warned it is hard work!

Once you have cleaned up the chrome and removed the rust marks, polish it with a product called Autosol, this is available at Halfords and other car accessory shops. The chromework will shine beautifully and the Autosol actually gives some protection against further rusting. And it you are storing a pram then coat the chrome with vaseline, this will protect it.

There are sprays that are available if you don’t want to go to the expense of rechroming, but these do not give anything like a chrome finish. Even the ones that are said to be “chrome” just look silver when sprayed on. Some people have used Hammerite on their wheels and other chrome parts, but again this doesn’t look anything like chrome.

Another alternative to having the chrome replated is to either paint the chrome parts in a colour to match the pram bodywork or have it powder coated. Powder coating is a specialised process and gives a long lasting finish, this  is the process used on central heating radiators and heated towel rails and must be carried out by a reputable company.

If you prefer to paint the parts yourself then use a good car paint for this and all the rust will need to be removed first, then the metal primed and sanded at least twice before the paint is applied. During the war years,when all the metal was needed for building planes, none of the prams were chromed, they all had painted wheels and handles.  Painted wheels can look fine, but don’t paint the spokes, leave them as they are. These are known as “country wheels” because people living in the countryside had to take their prams along muddy tracks and roads and the chrome would have deteriorated very quickly, but if they were painted it was much simpler to repaint them when they began to look shabby.

Hope this has helped, if you have any tips you have used for your chrome then do share them with us by leaving a comment below, and keep checking the website for more posts on restoring your prams.

Pram of the Month for this month is the Pedigree Nibs pushchair, pictured above. Apart from this being lightweight I really couldn’t see the attraction of this design. The child couldn’t lie down in it so what happened with a child who was tired and wanted to sleep? Or if it rained? In my opinion even today’s modern buggies are not as badly designed as this one!

My aunt had one of these for my cousin in the fifties, he must have been around three years of age at the time, and previously he had been wheeled around in a droptoe Marmet pram. But my aunt decided this was too cumbersome to take on the bus so she bought a Nibs, the latest pushchair to become available.

Do you have one of these pushchairs? Or maybe you remember someone having one? I wonder if many of them have survived.

This was sent out in February but as a reminder here are details again of pram events this year.

Dates for your diaries of events throughout the UK for 2016 where you might like to take your vintage pram. For more information about the events shown please check on the relevant websites.

UPDATE – Below is an e mail received about an event in May, if you would like to add any others please visit the website www.VintagePramFan.com and add a comment with details.

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Hi, I am involved with a couple of events in May that may appeal to the pram fan. I would appreciate if you could mention them on your site please. The details are on Rod’s Events Diary. May 7th Aldreth Vintage fair and May 14th-15th, Weekend of 1940’s Music and Dance at the Bridge Farm Barns in Suffolk

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Crich Tramway Museum Events

This is the website for Crich Tramway Museum where you can find out more details of the events shown http://www.tramway.co.uk/

Easter 1940s Event

World War II – The Home Front /1940s event including re-enactors, entertainment, vehicles and trams from the era.

Yorkshire Day

August 1^st is official ‘Yorkshire Day’ and Crich Tramway Village will join the celebrations by operating an enhanced tram service, involving all the serviceable Sheffield and Leeds  trams from our operational fleet in service during the day.

Food and drink will not be forgotten and a ‘Yorkshire’ flavour will predominate in our catering outlets.

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Beamish Museum, Co Durham

www.beamish.org.uk

Beamish Museum has several events, please check on their website for more information of the ones listed below.

Empire and Flag Weekend

Sat 21st – Sun 22nd May

Festival of Fifties

Thu 14th – Sun 17th Jul

Dig for Victory

Thu 1st – Sun 4th Sep

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Sledmere House, North Yorkshire

Sledmere Nostalgia Weekend

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Events from Rods Diary

http://www.40s-events.co.uk/

Below are details of events listed on Rods Diary page, please check on the website for more information.

Saturday – April 23 – 2016
WARTIME IN THE COTSWOLDS
Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway – Postcode: GL54 5DT (South West England)
24 April

A light hearted look at life on the Home Front in the 1940s. Travel on steam-hauled trains between stations sporting reminders of the 40s. Period dress encouraged

For further information: contact 01242621405. Visit: http://www.gwsr.com/planning-your-visit/2016-events-calendar/wartime-in-the-cotswolds.aspx

Saturday – April 30 – 2016
FOUR ASHES IN THE FORTIES
Willenhall RUFC Bognop Road Essington Staffordshire – Postcode:WV11 2BA (West Midlands)
This event has grown in stature in the past 3 years and is a good starting point for the new season, it is a 2 day charity event supporting the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal held on the 1st bank holiday weekend in May. There will be a hog roast and barbecue during the weekend.

Sunday – May 01 – 2016
ADVINTAGEOUS VINTAGE FAIR
The Spa, Scarborough – Postcode: YO11 2HD (Yorkshire and the Humber)

For further information:. Visit: www.advintageous.co.uk

MID MAY 40’S WEEKEND
East Anglia Transport Museum – Postcode: NR33 8BL (East of England)
We open on Saturday at 12 noon and Sunday at 10.30am.so join us for a wonderful look back at the roaring 40’s. . Visit: www.eatm.org.uk

Saturday – May 28 – 2016
BATLEY VINTAGE DAY
Batley Market Place And Memorial Gardens – Postcode: WF17 5DA (Yorkshire and the Humber)
Coming back for it’s third year we are delighted to bring you Batley Vintage Day. Taking place in the historic Market Place and Memorial Gardens, once more we roll back the clock to celebrate yesteryear.

Visit: www.batleyvintageday.co.uk

Saturday – May 28 – 2016
THE IRONBRIDGE GORGE WWII WEEKEND
Dale End Park Ironbridge – Postcode: TF8 7EG (West Midlands)
Previously the Jackfield WWII Weekend, now at a new larger home on the River Severn in the World Heritage Site of the Ironbridge Gorge.
Over 2 days, the 28th and 29th May 2016.
At Dale End Park ironbridge, supporting Pilgrim Bandits Charity.
Recreating life during the war on the home front and in occupied Europe with re-enactors military and civilian, 40s entertainers, vintage and military traders, vintage vehicles, 40s food and more! Battles and fire power displays both days. Visit: www.ironbridgeww2weekend.co.uk

Saturday – May 28 – 2016
EAST LANCASHIRE RAILWAY’S 1940S WEEKEND
East Lancashire Railway – Postcode: BL9 0EY (North West England)
Join the East Lancashire Railway for this 1940s Fantasy on the 28, 29 and 30 May.

For further information: contact 01617647790. Visit: www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk

Friday – June 03 – 2016
BRIGHOUSE 1940S WEEKEND
Brighouse, West Yorkshire – Postcode: HD6 1RW (Yorkshire and the Humber)
Friday 3rd June 2016
Saturday 4th June 2016
Sunday 5th June 2016
The Brighouse 1940s Weekend takes over the whole town centre. Now established as the most popular 1940s event in the North of England by visitor numbers. Exhibitions, displays, vehicles, re-enactors, markets, dances, talks, theatre shows, cinema shows, it’s got it all.
Come and see what life was like in this significant time in our history as the town centre and shops are transformed.
It’s fun for all the family with free entertainment all-round the town. For the children there will be a fun fair, steam train and donkey rides 
For further information:  Visit: www.brighouse1940sweekend.co.uk

Friday – June 10 – 2016
THE FRONITLINE SEDGEFIELD
HARDWICK EAST PARK COUNTY DURHAM – Postcode: TS21 2DN(North East England)
Welcome to The Frontline Sedgefield
The Frontline-Sedgefield is the North-Easts newest living history event depicting soldiers through history. From Vikings, Romans, Civil War right through the First and Second World Wars to the present day.

. Visit: www.frontline-sedgefield.co.uk or.facebook.com/pages/Frontline-Sedgefield/577247442413197?pnref=story

Saturday – June 11 – 2016
THE DIG FOR VICTORY SHOW
North Somerset Show Ground – Postcode: BS48 1NE (South West England)
The Dig for Victory Show is a 1940’s themed festival being held in North Somerset We will bring history alive and the generations together with a sense of nostalgia and pride – to learn, remember and have fun.

Visit: http://digforvictoryshow.com/

Sunday – June 12 – 2016
BRIDLINGTON OLD TOWN 1940’S SUMMER FESTIVAL
High Street, Bridlington – Postcode: YO164QA (Yorkshire and the Humber)

Bridlington Old Town Association is working together with Bridlington Royal British Legion & 1940’s enthusiasts,singers & dancers,Renactment Groups,Vintage & Miltary Vehicle collections,1940’s trade stands,demonstrations -all to bring to Bridlington Old Town a really great 1940’s Festival and a celebration of the launch of the new ‘Dads Army Film in February’.
 Visit:www.bridlingtonoldtown.com or https://www.facebook.com/events/1643863029085962/

Saturday – June 18 – 2016
EPPING ONGAR RAILWAY 1940S EVENT
Epping Ongar Railway – Postcode: CM5 9BN (South East England)
2 Day Event over weekend of 18/19 June 2016
This event provides a taste of life in the 1940s with a steam railway providing an brilliant backdrop. There will be music, dancing with A2 Jive, reenactment groups, stalls and other groups on the day.Subject to confirmation one of the days will feature a flypast by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

. Visit: www.eorailway.co.uk/events/1940s

Friday – June 24 – 2016
PADIHAM ON PARADE
Padiham Town Centre, Burnley, Lancashire – Postcode: BB12 8SU (North West England)
This event, our first attempt at a Forties weekend, will take place over 3 days, 24th, 25th and 26th June 2016.
The Padiham on Parade 1940s Weekend takes over the whole town centre. Exhibitions, displays, vehicles, re-enactors, markets, dances, talks, theatre shows,it’s got it all.

For further information: contact 01282423612.

Friday – July 01 – 2016
OPERATION HOMEGUARD 1940S WEEKEND
Ingleton – Postcode: LA6 3EG (North West England)
This is the annual 1940s Weekend held in Ingleton on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Despite the rumours the party will continue albeit with some changes to the organising committee.

. Visit: www.ingleton40s.co.uk orwww.facebook.com/Ingleton1940s/

Saturday – July 09 – 2016
THORPE CAMP ‘WE’LL MEET AGAIN’ EVENT
Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre – Postcode: LN4 4PL (East Midlands)
Thorpe Camp 1940’s event
Thorpe Camp Visitor Centre
Tattershall Thorpe
Lincolnshire
LN4 4PL
July 9th/10th 2016
 Visit: www.1940weekend.co.uk or www.thorpecamp.org

Saturday – July 30 – 2016
PATELEY BRIDGE 1940S WEEKEND
Pateley Bridge (near Harrogate), North Yorkshire – Postcode: HG3 5AW (Yorkshire and the Humber)
Pateley Bridge set in and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty just outside of Harrogate is hosting it’s third 1940’s weekend.
The dates are Friday 29th (evening only), Saturday 30th July and Sunday 31st July 2016.
Visit: www.nidderdale.co.uk orwww.facebook.com/PateleyBridge1940sWeekend

Sunday – August 07 – 2016
ECHOES OF THE PAST
Rougham Control Tower Museum – Postcode: IP30 9XA (East of England)
Step back in time at Echoes of the Past. Sample the sights and sounds of the war years as well as pre and post war displays. 

For further information: contact 07976670679.

Saturday – August 13 – 2016
AYSCOUGHFEE HALL MUSEUM AND GARDENS 1940’S WEEKEND
Ayscoughfee Hall Museum And Gardens – Postcode: PE11 2RA (East Midlands)
Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th August 2016
Join us for our popular 1940’s event at Ayscoughfee Hall and Gardens in Spalding, Lincolnshire.

For further information: contact 01775764555. Visit: www.ayscoughfee.org

Sunday – August 21 – 2016
LINCOLN BRAYFORD 1940S DAY 2016
Lincoln, Brayford Wharf – Postcode: LN1 1YW (East of England)
We are again holding this event on 21st August 2016 between 1000-1600 against the fantastic setting of Lincoln’s Brayford Pool marina, set in the heart of the historic city. A BBMF Flypast has been applied for, plus wartime songs from the fantastic Lancashire Belle and excellent dances by the 40s Home Front – come and join in! We are especially keen to hear from period vehicle owners of all descriptions, re-enactors , Living History Groups and stallholders to join us to help make this another memorable and nostalgic step back in time!

For further information: contact 07538524776.

Saturday – September 24 – 2016
CROWLE & EALAND 1940’S WEEKEND
Crowle & Ealand North Lincolnshire – Postcode: DN17 4NX (Yorkshire and the Humber)
Crowle and Ealand 1940’s Weekend, September 24-25th 2016
The first event of its type in the North Lincolnshire town and village of Crowle and Ealand 5 mins journey by car from Junc 2 M180
Come and taste the atmosphere of life in North Lincolnshire with a nostalgic look at the 1940’s, 
For further information: contact 07725906859. Visit: http://www.hirstpriory.co.uk/

Saturday – October 08 – 2016
CHOLSEY & WALLINGFORD RAILWAY’S 1940S WEEKENDS
Cholsey & Wallingford Railway – Postcode: OX10 9QD (All areas)
Also on Sunday 09/10/2016.

The Cholsey and Wallingford Railway steps back in time to the 1940s for just one weekend!
Join us in remembering the 40s with the homeguard, 1940s vehicle displays (both military and civilian), children’s activities and live music on board the steam hauled train.

 Visit: www.cholsey-wallingford-railway.com

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And don’t forget these two major wartime events, both held in Yorkshire and very well attended. I went to both of these last year and hope to be there again in 2016.

Haworth 1940’s Weekend

http://www.haworth-village.org.uk/events

The 1940’s weekend at Haworth takes place on 13/05/16 – 15/05/16

Pickering Wartime weekend

Railway in Wartime
14th – 16th October 2016

http://www.nymr.co.uk/wartime/

Looking through some old classified ads recently I was browsing the vacancies for nannies, most from well off families, some of them titled. It is nothing new that the aristocracy have always had a nanny, but is it now almost as common for “ordinary” people to use childcare instead of staying at home and caring for the children themselves? Or is it taken for granted that grandparents look after their grandchildren whilst the young parents work?

These are excerpts from some of the old adverts:

Required immediately – Nannie, baby 2 months, modern bungalow near Portsmouth.

Nannie for boy 9 months, comfortable home, 7 miles from market town, liberal outings.

 £2 weekly nannie required to assist mother of 4 children, day off mid week, 2 days monthly.

Reliable girl of 21 or over to help with 2 children under 5, must be really fond of children, good needlewoman. 

Young friends of mine recently visited with their new baby and, somewhat surprisingly for these modern times, the mother has decided she will stop working and put her career on hold for a few years so she can be at home with her daughter. This is their first baby and both parents have well paid jobs and have taken years of training to achieve the current positions.

They told me that the reaction to their decision has been very mixed, my generation think it is a good idea but others their own age think it is not at all sensible. The mother’s boss told her that she will take a long time to climb back up the career ladder to her present post, other colleagues have told her she will be bored out of her mind staying at home all day with a baby.

My own point of view is that the mother can always retrain if necessary to update herself careerwise but if she misses out on those early baby years they can never again be recaptured. But maybe I am biased because in my day it was unthinkable to go back to work after having had a baby. Maternity leave was unheard of until the mid to late seventies and I have to say that even if I had been given the choice I would still have stopped working to care full time for my baby.

These young parents told me they have carefully considered all the options before they came to this decision. The husband told me he is actually proud that he can work to support his family on his own income, which of course was the accepted thing for previous generations. After WW2 a lot of women had taken jobs whilst their husbands were away in the forces, but once the men returned many of them wanted their wives to stop working as in those days if a husband couldn’t support his wife and family it was socially unacceptable.

Going back to the young parents mentioned above, they have a very large mortgage, enjoy lots of holidays and have two cars. So how will they afford to lose one salary I wondered. They seem to have everything worked out, having calculated costs of sending the baby to nursery or having a childminder they came to the conclusion that a huge portion of one salary would be going on that alone so financially it wouldn’t be viable.  And they have both experienced the dilemma of colleagues guiltily struggling to cope at work while having a poorly child, not wanting to let down their boss but knowing their child wants only mummy or daddy.

Not only that, but having seen other young parents juggling a career as well as childcare they have realised that their quality of life would be compromised if both were working full time. Weekends would be spent catching up on household jobs, they have witnessed neighbours spending Saturdays and Sundays cleaning, doing the laundry, shopping etc and being stressed by the lack of time they spend together as a family simply relaxing.

“We didn’t want to have to schedule time in our diaries for a couple of hours at a weekend to spend with our child which some of our friends do,” they told me

I asked the mother if she is ever bored as a stay at home mum, but she was adamant her days are busy and fulfilled looking after her baby daughter. They go to several mothers and babies groups, go on outings, visit friends and relatives as well as keeping up with the household tasks on a daily basis instead of having to cram everything into their days off. And instead of driving everywhere she has discovered the enjoyment of taking the baby for walks in her pram, and much to my delight they have bought a secondhand coachbuilt pram and both parents and baby love it! And the mum told me she has already made lots of new friends from people who have stopped to admire the pram! (A buggy is used for shopping trips when it would be impractical to take the “big” pram, as we all used to do year ago).

Discussing this situation with other people I found, somewhat surprisingly, that it is now becoming increasingly common for one parent to decide to stay at home full time when a baby arrives, or for both parents to work part time and share the childcare.  One couple made the decision that as the husband earned less than his wife that he stays at home and he is very much a hands on dad. Another couple both work part time and their children, both still under school age, have benefitted from having input from both mum and dad. They take advantage of quieter times midweek to take the children to interesting places, the dad told me that he loves taking them exploring in the countryside and to museums which the children really enjoy.

I realise that not every one these days has an option as to whether they return to work after the birth of a baby, but I loved every minute of being at home with my own children. Weekends were for us all to enjoy time as a family, we didn’t have many weekends away in hotels or have two or three foreign holidays a year, but I did have the pleasure of seeing my babies develop, being there when they took their first steps, spoke their first word and I was able to nurse them through childhood illnesses without feeling torn between work and family. Those first few years I wouldn’t have missed for the world.

However, many grandparents in my age group find it is expected, even taken for granted in some cases, that they look after their grandchildren whilst the parents are at work. Grandparents have worked all their lives and much as we all love our grandchildren we surely deserve some free time of our own. My parents told me the same as my grandparents told them – “you made the choice to have a baby so you look after it”. Having said that, they were there if ever needed to babysit but this was very infrequent.

But at the end of the day the important thing is that modern parents actually have the choice to decide what is best for them and their baby, with dads as well as mums being able to take an active role in bringing up their offspring. In fact I find it refreshing these days to see fathers capable of changing nappies and being able to care for a baby as well as mothers, and how many of my generation had husbands who rarely pushed the pram?

Maybe you have thoughts on this subject? If so, do add a comment on the website www.VintagePramFan.com

I have been sent details of a pram event in Cumbria (details below). Also in an earlier post there is a list of other events throughout 2016. If anyone is organising a vintage event or pram walk then I will gladly publicise it on here for you if you send me details. A lot of events are advertised on various pram Facebook groups but not everyone is on Facebook so adding details on here is a good way to attract more people.

This is the Cumbria event: (thank you Iain for this).

We will be holding the second Retro Rendezvous in Ulverston, South Cumbria, on 8-10th July. This is a full weekend of everything vintage including cars, motorcycles, cycling, stalls, tearooms, cocktails, music, fashion and of course prams.
Last year I had my 3 dolls and 2 full sized prams on display and they were very popular. This year the Sun Inn on Market Street has kindly offered their rear garden as a display area.

We try to keep as much as possible free over the weekend. If you would like to join in with your pram, please email Iwanttoperambulate@yahoo.co.uk
For more info check out the Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/retrorendezvous1
or the website
http://www.retrorendezvous.co.uk
Hope to see you all there

Iain

Hard to believe that it is now five years since I attended my first vintage pram event. This was at a park in the north of England and I went along with a friend as we were both interested in coachbuilt prams and thought it would be a good idea to meet people with a similar interest. We didn’t know anyone but just put my Kensington and my friend’s Carlton into the car and off we went, I do admit we wondered if people would think we were slightly crazy for wanting to take a pram, but no baby, for an outing!

However as soon as we arrived in the car park and were taking the prams out of the car, another lady approached us and started chatting, we soon made a lot of new friends and realised we were not the only people who loved these traditional prams as there were over 20 of us there!

Prams of all different eras, makes and models were paraded in the park before we set off for a walk around the pathways. Big prams, smaller prams, pushchairs, dolls prams, certainly a varied selection!

We created quite a stir amongst park visitors that day who gazed in awe at a group of us proudly pushing our prams. Some of the ladies had their partners with them, some had their children or grandchildren too. We varied in age from young children to mums in their twenties/thirties to grandparents.

It was such a marvellous day out to see all these prams and to chat to their owners. We discussed our memories of when some of us used similar prams for our now grown up children and the younger generation of mums were keen to hear how we cared for our prams, others wanted to know about getting them restored, lots of questions, lots of advice and above all lots of friendly people.

When I returned home that day I decided to write my booklet about pram restoration and after doing lots of research  I set up this website shortly afterwards. The rest as they say “is history”.  We now have hundreds of people who subscribe to the website and I love to hear from all of you.

Over these past few years I have attended many more pram events, some just walks in a park, vintage and forties organised events and other more formal pram events such as those similar to Pramtasia in July. If you have never been to a pram event before then make this summer a first, you will be welcomed by others who share your interest, make new friends, learn a lot and above all wonder why you waited so long to join us!

A list of events is on the website, or you could organise your own. If you have a park or maybe a stately home near you, just let me know and I will add details on here for people to join in. There are still a lot of areas throughout the UK where there are no pram events, but this can easily be rectified as there are “prammies” located all over and there may be some pram enthusiasts near you who you don’t yet know. It doesn’t need to be a formalised outing but you do need to let others know where and when you will be meeting up. So do get in touch and share your own event with us on here, or look on the list of events and just turn up at one near you.

But above all, don’t just sit at home admiring your pram and wishing you could take it out somewhere. If you join in a pram walk I am sure you will wonder why you didn’t join in before!

These are some photos from the first pram event I attended.

Pram of the Month for May is the Silver Cross Portman, from the seventies. This model is often confused with the Berkeley as they both have a chrome trimmed panel on the side, but if you look at previous posts about the Berkeley you will notice there is a difference in the design of the side panels.

The photo on left is of a 1930’s pram, (pic copyright Ell Brown) taken at Bletchley Park. What an amazing canopy!

With our unpredictable British summers you may be wondering what is the point in buying a canopy for a vintage pram. The answer is simple – to keep the sun off the baby. As well as exposing it to ultra violet rays which can cause damage to a baby’s sensitive skin, strong sunlight can damage a baby’s eyes.

Last summer I saw far too many young mothers with their babies in modern prams with no shade whatsoever for the child, not even with a sunhat. There are sunshades available for these prams, but some of them look as though they would make the inside of the pram stuffy, especially the black ones that cover the entire pram! How would you feel if you were put inside something like that on a hot summer day? Claustrophobic? Suffocating? So how does the poor baby feel? Thankfully many pram manufacturers now use a larger hood which offers more protection with out the need for an additional cover or canopy.

These new designs of hoods are similar to a traditional pram canopy in that the baby is protected from the sun’s rays but at the same time is kept cool because they are still in the open air, but in the shade of the hood.

A traditional sun canopy should have an anti glare lining, usually in green material, which is better for the baby’s eyes and protects them from the glare of strong sunlight. The canopy should be fixed onto the pram with the longer side over the pram bed and the shorter side over the hood, this allows maximum protection for the baby. The hood should be lowered before putting on the canopy and left in that position, if you leave the hood up then the inside of the pram will be too hot and uncomfortable.

Some canopies have adjustable arms which allows for them to be placed higher up on the pram when a baby is sitting up. The cords on the canopy can also be shortened or lengthened on most types, allowing for adjustment as required. Do make sure the cords are securely looped, using the leather fobs, over the canopy studs at each end of the pram body, and the arms secured on the sides of the hood fasteners.

To do this you will need to unscrew the canopy knobs  at the sides of the hood, attach the canopy over the screws underneath, then put the canopy knob back on. (see picture – the canopy knob is at the bottom right on the hood on this pic).

Another reason to use a canopy is to protect the pram hood. When prams are exposed to sunlight the fabric will soon fade. For this reason it is best to always use a sun canopy when your pram is outside in sunny weather.  When the pram is not being used put it out of direct sunlight, or make sure you keep the hood and apron covered. An old sheet or dust cover is ideal as it will cover all the pram hood and apron.This also keeps the dust off as well as preventing fading. Any fabric which is exposed to sunlight for any length of time will fade and it can also rot so as well as protecting the baby, also take care of your pram fabrics.

Hopefully it won’t be long before we see some sunny days, times when babies need protecting from the strong rays of the sun. What better way to do this than to use a traditional canopy on your pram.

If you have a vintage canopy that has seen better days, it is simple to make a new cover, even if you are not an expert at sewing.

First of all unpick the stitching on the old cover and use it to make a pattern for a new one, then choose some material, broderie anglaise is very popular but you can use other kinds of material. Cotton lawn is especially suitable for a pram canopy cover and can be bought in very pretty designs. If the material you choose is very thin you may need to sew in a double lining, to match the cover. Decorate the edges of the cover with frills or fringe, and you may like to add iron on motifs to the cover to give it that personal touch.

Most important is that you line the canopy with anti glare lining, usually in green but also available in dark blue. The lining will protect the baby’s eyes from the strong sunshine. If the lining on your existing canopy is in fairly good condition then there is no reason why you can’t re-use it, otherwise look on E Bay or in fabric shops for new material.

Once you have made the new cover it will need attaching to the frame. You can sew this onto the frame but it will be easier if you use velcro to attach it as this makes it easier for laundering. There are also special canopy clips which can be used, which just clip the fabric to the frame.

On a warm sunny day a pram with a sun canopy looks delightful. Babies love watching the fringe and frills on their canopy dancing in the breeze, but do be careful they don’t get their tiny fingers tangled in dangling fringe! Not only could it harm the baby, but the fringe may be pulled off, damaging the canopy!

Several times recently I have been asked how to fix a baby’s harness to a coachbuilt pram.

Hopefully these pictures will help anyone needing advice, these modern harnesses can be bought from Mothercare, Boots, E Bay and BabiesRUs. They are made from very strong webbing and are available in pink, blue, navy or multi coloured as shown in these pictures.

When you buy the pram harness, or reins as they are sometimes called, the pack will contain the harness, a longer strap which is for attaching to the harness when a baby is walking, and two shorter straps.

The shorter straps are to be attached to the metal brackets found either in the base of the pram or on the sides, just beneath the hood.

First of all, loop the short strap through the bracket that is attached to the pram:

This strap has a loop on one end, thread the end with the clip through this loop and this will secure it to the pram bracket, as shown below:

Then take the harness and clip it onto the short strap:

Place the harness around the baby and fasten at the back,  adjusting the shoulder straps so they fit snuggly to the baby and then adjust the side straps to ensure the baby is securely strapped in without being able to move around too much.

This photo shows a happy, contented baby safely strapped in her pram, after her outing on a cold, wet day. You can just see the pram straps over her shoulders, allowing her freedom to move around but keeping her safe too.

If you have a traditional leather harness the process is almost the same except the straps are fastened with a metal clip instead of a plastic one.

These pram harnesses are safe as long as they are correctly adjusted to allow the baby some freedom of movement and, of course, once the baby is toddling it is advisable to use the pram harness with the long strap to allow the child to walk independently but still be safely held by the parent.

I have heard a lot of controversial comments about the use of pram reins, some liken them to dog leads, which is ridiculous! Yes, they may be the same idea, but why use one to keep a dog safely attached to you but dislike doing the same with your child! Young children are so quick and can easily dart across a busy road or become lost in a crowded place if they are not being held by the parent. So please be sensible, ignore the “dog lead” comments and thus ensure your very precious offspring is kept safe. And if you dislike the idea of using a harness, you can fasten one end of a wrist strap to the toddler and the other end to your own wrist. Personally I don’t think these are as secure but perhaps when a child reaches a more sensible age of around 3 years and able to understand danger, they are fine.

This year there have already been a lot of vintage events where some of us have taken prams. The prams always attract a lot of attention, whether they are being pushed around or displayed in a display area.

At a vintage event at the May Bank Holiday weekend some of us took prams and did a display at a Vintage Day, in West Yorkshire. The prams created lots of interest, from “Oh I had a pram just like this!” to “those pram wheels would make a good gocart!” This  last comment usually from men who remember using old pram wheels to make buggies/go carts or whatever they used to call them, many regional variations on this!

The reborn dolls had mixed reactions, many admired them, others thought they were “spooky”, although I cannot think why, unless the person commenting has watched too many horror films!

Here are some photos from the Vintage Day, also check our our facebook pages Vintage Pram Fan and Yorkshire VIntage Pram Fans.

A lovely display here of prams, the pink dolly pram was brought by Hope, the charming granddaughter of one of the Vintage Pram Fan group, who wanted to bring this to match her grandma’s pram (shown in another photo below). Of course this created a lot of lovely comments!

We had a gazebo with one of the Vintage Pram Fan banners to show people who we were (thank you Hazel for bringing this).

This shows the pink pram belonging to Enid, the little girl’s grandma.

This photo was sent to me by a local gentleman who was delighted to see so many of our prams on display.

Pram of the Month for July is to me a very special pram, or rather pushchair. This is because it is the same pushchair that I remember being in as a child and I would dearly love to find one the same.  A kind lady has sent me these photos which are shown here and has the pushchair in her own pram collection, but I feel there has to be another one out there somewhere. Perhaps you have one in your loft or shed or know someone who has one they would like to part with? If so do please get in touch. 

The pushchair is not very valuable, it was a cheap pushchair manufactured in the austere post war years, but it has sentimental value to me personally. I have a very fond memory of being taken out for an afternoon walk in this pushchair when I was probably around three year old, I was covered with a pale blue fleece blanket and we went to see some baby goats in a field near my home. I remember my father pulling me along the sandy beaches on summer outings to the seaside, such happy memories of a simple, cheap, pushchair! What happened to it? I have no idea and my parents are no longer alive to ask, my older brother remembers being in the same pushchair as me, he was born in 1945 so that helps to date it as post war. But he doesn’t know where it ended up either (and thinks I am a little bit crazy to want one now!!)

One day I was taken to the local village in my pushchair and left outside the greengrocers while my mum was inside buying fruit and vegetable. In those days the greengrocers displayed their goods on a table covered in artificial grass outside the shop. I distinctly remember reaching up to try and touch this “grass” when the wheels on the pushchair folded under. I screamed so loudly that my mum and other customers came rushing out to see what had happened.

It was a very compact pushchair, the handle and sides folded down and the wheels folded underneath the seat.

The pushchair was a khaki/green colour with a canvas seat and my father had attached a leather strap to keep me fastened in.The footrest could be held in several positions, level with the seat or down near the floor.

On the footrest was the name NuFold

When I was older my mum let me use the pushchair for my dolls and teddies. Also a neighbour used to borrow it when their grandchild visited on holidays and they always gave me half a crown for loaning it to them, a fortune to me in those days!

Please if you know where there is a pushchair like this do let me know, I am sure most of you have fond memories of a pram you used to own so will understand why I would really like to find one! I know there is one in the Museum of Childhood at Sudbury and another belonging to the lovely lady who sent me these photos, so there must be a third – maybe YOU know where it is!

Have you ever wondered about the process which is carried out to make a coachbuilt pram? A few years ago I was allowed to visit the factory where Silver Cross Heritage range prams were made and it was truly fascinating.

Piles of wheels were waiting to be fitted to the prams and lined up on the factory floor were lots of beautiful prams in various stages of production.

I was particularly interested in how the pram bodies are made and how the paintwork is so shiny, so I was allowed to watch the process in making a Kensington model.

Moulds are used to form each of the panels on the pram,

which are clamped together to form the pram body.

Each pram body is given two undercoats and two top coats of paint, which is sprayed on. After each coat of paint is applied the pram body is stove hardened which ensures a durable finish to the paintwork.

With stove enamelling when the pram is placed in the stove for the last time the finish is dull, but when it emerges it is glossy.

I also watched as coachlines were painted on by hand, using a swordliner paintbrush. It looked remarkably easy but I was told it took a lot of practice to perfect the art.

When the panels are assembled the bedliner is inserted into the metal shell of the body

And then the hood and apron and other fixings are attached, the wheels are covered in polythene to keep them clean, everything is quality checked at each stage of production and a final check given before  the new pram is  ready for despatch to its new owner.

Looking through my files of pram information I came across this advice from the 1930’s about caring for your pram. I think the advice is still as sound today as it was at that time. If you want more tips on looking after your pram there is lots of advice in my book on pram restoration and also on the website. To find anything on the website go to the Search box at the top right hand side of the page and type in a keyword, you will then be redirected to relevant posts.

But have a look at this, most pram enthusiasts will already know the advice mentioned but it is always worthwhile refreshing your knowledge.

Interestingly it states that metal polish must never be used for chrome plating. Recently there has been discussion about using silver/chrome household cleaners instead of Autosol, which is a product used extensively in the motor trade as some say Autosol can remove some of the chrome. My own thoughts on this is that the household silver cleaner is more likely to do this than something that is used to clean motorbikes and classic cars. However, if we are to heed the advice in the extract above, we should only clean chrome with a washleather then polish it with a dry cloth. I was told by a motor restorer that Autosol not only cleans chrome but also acts as protection against corrosion so I will continue to use it.

But I would be interested to hear your own thoughts on this, please leave a comment here

http://www.vintagepramfan.com/interesting-advice-from-the-1930s