Two wheeled tradesman cart with whip

Made:
circa 1918 in Haddenham

This two-wheeled tradesman cart was built in 1918 by James Plater and Sons in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire. It is a two-wheeled, two seat cart that was pulled by a single horse. The cart has a seat covered with a dark tan padding.

The cart has a mostly wooden frame and shafts with dark brown paintwork. The cart does not have brakes or any other mechanical features, illustrating a simple but practical design.

The tradesman cart was built in 1918 by James Plater and Sons, a coachmaker local to Haddenham in Buckinghamshire. This is relatively late in the history of carriages, during a period when carriages were being replaced by motor vehicles across the UK.

The cart was made for display at the annual Thame Show in Oxfordshire, a traditional agricultural event. The tradesman cart provides a glimpse into the roles that some horse-drawn carriages had in UK communities well into the 20th century.

Following the Thame Show the tradesman cart was purchased by Mr. John Allison for his family to use as a social vehicle. After the Second World War the Allison family used the cart for afternoon drives with everyone dressed in their Sunday best. They used a single horse to pull the cart, attached with a special harness. By the 1960s, the Allisons used the cart as part of their Haddenham-based garage / petrol station / coach hire business.

The Allison family owned the cart for eight decades until they donated it to the Science Museum in 2001.

Details

Category:
Road Transport
Object Number:
2000-282
Materials:
steel (metal) and wood (unidentified)
Measurements:
overall: 1803.4 mm x 1600.2 mm x 3352.8 mm,
type:
tradesman high cart
credit:
Allison, John & Anne

Parts

Two Wheeled Tradesman High Cart

Two Wheeled Tradesman High Cart

This two-wheeled tradesman cart was built in 1918 by James Plater and Sons in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire. It is a two-wheeled, two seat cart that was pulled by a single horse. The cart has a seat covered with a dark tan padding.

The cart has a mostly wooden frame and shafts with dark brown paintwork. The cart does not have brakes or any other mechanical features, illustrating a simple but practical design.

More

The tradesman cart was built in 1918 by James Plater and Sons, a coachmaker local to Haddenham in Buckinghamshire. This is relatively late in the history of carriages, during a period when carriages were being replaced by motor vehicles across the UK.

The cart was made for display at the annual Thame Show in Oxfordshire, a traditional agricultural event. The tradesman cart provides a glimpse into the roles that some horse-drawn carriages had in UK communities well into the 20th century.

Following the Thame Show the tradesman cart was purchased by Mr. John Allison for his family to use as a social vehicle. After the Second World War the Allison family used the cart for afternoon drives with everyone dressed in their Sunday best. They used a single horse to pull the cart, attached with a special harness. By the 1960s, the Allisons used the cart as part of their Haddenham-based garage / petrol station / coach hire business.

The Allison family owned the cart for eight decades until they donated it to the Science Museum in 2001.

Measurements:
overall: 1850 mm x 1700 mm x 3400 mm,
Materials:
wood (unidentified) and steel (metal)
Object Number:
2000-282 Pt1
type:
tradesman high cart
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Whip from tradesman high cart

Whip from tradesman high cart

Whip used with the Tradesman High Cart

More

The tradesman cart was built in 1918 by James Plater and Sons, a coachmaker local to Haddenham in Buckinghamshire. This is relatively late in the history of carriages, during a period when carriages were being replaced by motor vehicles across the UK.

The cart was made for display at the annual Thame Show in Oxfordshire, a traditional agricultural event. The tradesman cart provides a glimpse into the roles that some horse-drawn carriages had in UK communities well into the 20th century.

Following the Thame Show the tradesman cart was purchased by Mr. John Allison for his family to use as a social vehicle. After the Second World War the Allison family used the cart for afternoon drives with everyone dressed in their Sunday best. They used a single horse to pull the cart, attached with a special harness. By the 1960s, the Allisons used the cart as part of their Haddenham-based garage / petrol station / coach hire business.

The Allison family owned the cart for eight decades until they donated it to the Science Museum in 2001.

Measurements:
overall: 30 mm x 70 mm x 1120 mm, .5 kg
Materials:
leather
Object Number:
2000-282 Pt2
type:
whip
Padded seat from the Tradesman High Cart

Padded seat from the Tradesman High Cart

Padded seat from the Tradesman High Cart

More

The tradesman cart was built in 1918 by James Plater and Sons, a coachmaker local to Haddenham in Buckinghamshire. This is relatively late in the history of carriages, during a period when carriages were being replaced by motor vehicles across the UK.

The cart was made for display at the annual Thame Show in Oxfordshire, a traditional agricultural event. The tradesman cart provides a glimpse into the roles that some horse-drawn carriages had in UK communities well into the 20th century.

Following the Thame Show the tradesman cart was purchased by Mr. John Allison for his family to use as a social vehicle. After the Second World War the Allison family used the cart for afternoon drives with everyone dressed in their Sunday best. They used a single horse to pull the cart, attached with a special harness. By the 1960s, the Allisons used the cart as part of their Haddenham-based garage / petrol station / coach hire business.

The Allison family owned the cart for eight decades until they donated it to the Science Museum in 2001.

Measurements:
overall: 120 mm x 370 mm x 1000 mm, 3 kg
Object Number:
2000-282 Pt3
type:
padded seat
Travelling knee blanket from Tradesman High Cart

Travelling knee blanket from Tradesman High Cart

Travelling knee blanket from Tradesman High Cart

More

The tradesman cart was built in 1918 by James Plater and Sons, a coachmaker local to Haddenham in Buckinghamshire. This is relatively late in the history of carriages, during a period when carriages were being replaced by motor vehicles across the UK.

The cart was made for display at the annual Thame Show in Oxfordshire, a traditional agricultural event. The tradesman cart provides a glimpse into the roles that some horse-drawn carriages had in UK communities well into the 20th century.

Following the Thame Show the tradesman cart was purchased by Mr. John Allison for his family to use as a social vehicle. After the Second World War the Allison family used the cart for afternoon drives with everyone dressed in their Sunday best. They used a single horse to pull the cart, attached with a special harness. By the 1960s, the Allisons used the cart as part of their Haddenham-based garage / petrol station / coach hire business.

The Allison family owned the cart for eight decades until they donated it to the Science Museum in 2001.

Measurements:
overall: 100 mm x 370 mm x 650 mm, 2 kg
Object Number:
2000-282 Pt4
type:
knee blanket
Spanner for Two Wheeled Tradesman Cart

Spanner for Two Wheeled Tradesman Cart

Spanner for two wheeled tradesman cart

More

The tradesman cart was built in 1918 by James Plater and Sons, a coachmaker local to Haddenham in Buckinghamshire. This is relatively late in the history of carriages, during a period when carriages were being replaced by motor vehicles across the UK.

The cart was made for display at the annual Thame Show in Oxfordshire, a traditional agricultural event. The tradesman cart provides a glimpse into the roles that some horse-drawn carriages had in UK communities well into the 20th century.

Following the Thame Show the tradesman cart was purchased by Mr. John Allison for his family to use as a social vehicle. After the Second World War the Allison family used the cart for afternoon drives with everyone dressed in their Sunday best. They used a single horse to pull the cart, attached with a special harness. By the 1960s, the Allisons used the cart as part of their Haddenham-based garage / petrol station / coach hire business.

The Allison family owned the cart for eight decades until they donated it to the Science Museum in 2001.

Measurements:
overall: 60 mm x 70 mm x 280 mm, .5 kg
Object Number:
2000-282 Pt5
type:
spanner