"Nobody outside of a baby carriage... believes in an unprejudiced point of view."
Lillian Hellman, playwright
The first known design for a baby carriage was produced in 1733 by William Kent (c. 1685-1748), the renowned English landscape-garden designer. Today the baby carriage is an essential tool for any family with children, but it was originally intended as an entertainment. Kent, who as a designer could turn his hand from furniture to ladies clothes as well as gardens, was commissioned by the third Duke of Devonshire to design something to amuse his children. He produced a shell-shaped vehicle in which a baby could sit, with an attached harness designed to fit a small pony, a dog, or a goat.
Baby carriages quickly became popular among the wealthy as fashionable toys. Gradually changes were made to their design, with one of the most significant being the addition of handles, which allowed a person to push the vehicle. The carriages became more popular in the 1840s when Queen Victoria bought three of the new push-style versions from Hitchings Baby Store of Ludgate Hill.
The next breakthrough came in 1889 with a new design created by William H. Richardson, who devised a special joint that enabled the bassinet to be turned to face the handles, as seen in many modern designs. He also improved the axles enabling the wheels to turn individually allowing for great maneuverability. Many of his design features are still used today.
