Carved wooden wheelchair, Europe, 1850-1890

Carved wooden wheelchair, Europe, 1850-1890 Carved wooden wheelchair, Europe, 1850-1890 Carved wooden wheelchair, Europe, 1850-1890 Carved wooden wheelchair, Europe, 1850-1890 Carved wooden wheelchair, Europe, 1850-1890 Carved wooden wheelchair, Europe, 1850-1890 Carved wooden wheelchair, Europe, 1850-1890 Carved wooden wheelchair, Europe, 1850-1890

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Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Carved wooden wheelchair with sprung seat and rubber tyres, historically referred to as ‘invalid chair’, Europe, 1850-1890

Unlike most modern wheelchairs that have four wheels, this chair has three: two large front wheels and one small rear wheel. It could be manoeuvred by the user via the outer push rims or by an assistant pushing or pulling the chair using the rear handle. The elaborately carved chair is heavy so presumably they would not have gone very far or very fast. It is made of wood with a sprung padded seat. It was used at Brownlow Hill Infirmary, a large workhouse hospital in Liverpool. When the institution closed in the late 1920s, its entire contents were put up for auction where this chair was purchased on behalf of Sir Henry Wellcome for his Historical Medical Museum.

Details

Category:
Nursing & Hospital Furnishings
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A73063
Materials:
frame, wood, seat, iron, seat, spring steel and tyres, rubber, solid
Measurements:
overall: 1140 mm x 700 mm x 950 mm,
type:
invalid chair
credit:
Turner and Smyth