Wicker Wheelchair
Date1890-1920
Credit LineGift of the Fredin family, 1979
Object number1979.030.002
Label TextThe Gendron Manufacturing Company of Toronto produced this wheelchair. Quebec-born Pierre Gendron (1844-1910) opened a factory in Toronto in 1890 to manufacture bicycles, pedal cars, baby and doll carriages, as well as wheelchairs. But wheeled “invalid” chairs were first invented in the 16th century. Belgian-born English inventor John Joseph Merlin (1735-1803) improved earlier designs. He introduced two large push wheels at the back of chair to replace hand-cranked front wheels. He also added external hoops to those back wheels to keep users’ hands clean.
NameWheelchair
