The lightweight collapsible Maclaren buggy, made in Barby in the early 1970s, revolutionised pushchair design.
1971 Maclaren Babgy Buggy
Folded Maclaren Baby Buggy
The Baby Buggy was invented and developed in the early 1960s by Owen Maclaren at his home, Arnold House in Barby.It became a great success and revolutionised pushchair design.
This example of the Buggy was made in Barby and bought by the owner in 1971.It can be viewed in Daventry Museum, and there is another in the permanent collection of Long Buckby Museum.There are also examples in the New York Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) and the London Design Museum.
The lightweight collapsible frame is made of aluminium tubing with a polythene fabric seat, which was available in red and green as well as blue. The swivelling wheels which made it so manoeuvrable were based on Maclaren’s design for aircraft undercarriages during World War 2.
It was patented in 1966, measures 123cm long when folded and weighs 6lbs (2.7kg). The buggy can be folded and hooked over the arm leaving hands free to carry the child, useful when travelling on public transport.
Owen Maclaren died in 1978, and the company was sold to Hestair in 1988.The Long Buckby factory continued production until it closed in 2009 and production moved to China.
A more detailed history of the Baby Buggy’s invention by Owen Maclaren and its subsequent success worldwide can be found in It Can Be Done, Scope Books 1979 pp25-32. The object was suggested for the timeline by Barby Local History Group as part of the Beyond the 100 (Histories of Northamptonshire) exhibition.
Sterilising drum belonging to Dr Francis Fisher Waddy, first anaesthetist at Northampton General Hospital. The drum contained small items of anaaesthetic equipment during their sterilisation.
These are the Archer Attendance Award Medals, awarded to Margaret Archer, a pupil at Spratton CE Primary School between approx. 1907 and 1912. There are four medals, awarded for two, three, four and five years good attendance respectively.
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NMAG
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NMAG
©
NMAG