Silver Cross Dolls Prams

Silver Cross dolls prams are a spin-off from Silver Cross Baby Perambulators or Silver Cross Baby Prams. In fact, the company was called Silver Cross, because its first factory was in Silver Cross Street. It started making babies' prams back in 1877. Silver Cross was founded by William Wilson, an engineer and inventor who had ideas on how to improve the baby prams of the day. He invented concepts like the reversible canopy, so that the baby could either face the pusher or face forward and a suspension system to make it easier on the baby and the pusher. In fact, William Wilson was awarded more than 30 patents in his lifetime.

Silver Cross Dolls Prams

Silver Cross prams were first made in Silver Cross Street, in Hunslet, Leeds, in the northern United Kingdom in 1877. Twenty years later they had to move to larger premises, but that burnt down. However William Wilson rebuilt it and called it the Silver Cross Works. They moved to Guiseley in 1936 because they had earned a royal warrant and were the nation's firm favourite pram makers.

They maintained a high public profile by donating baby prams to the royal family on the occasions of royal births such as Prince Charles' in 1948. They celebrated their centenary year by giving Princess Anne a Silver Cross baby pram for her first baby, Peter Philips.

Unfortunately, the continued high reputation did not save Silver Cross from their continued high price tag and the firm ceased trading in 2002 after financial irregularities were found in its books. It was bought by David Halsall and Sons and production shifted to Bingley, which is also in Yorkshire, although their head office is now in Skipton.

In 2006, Halsall decided to accept an MBO of his company so that he could concentrate on Silver Cross. Nowadays, you can buy Silver Cross pushchairs, Silver Cross strollers, the traditional Silver Cross Heritage Collection, Silver Cross dolls prams, Silver Cross high chairs, Silver Cross rockers and even Silver Cross car seats. The selection is truly impressive and is distributed all over the world.

One of their aims is to sell the Heritage Collection and Silver Cross dolls prams to the growing middle classes in China and India, two of the world's most potentially lucrative markets for high quality goods that have more than a hint of association with royalty, celebrity and luxury.

They have already seen increased sales in the United States and Japan, which gives then a strong foothold in the Asian market, which the Halsalls know well anyway from their long association with Hong Kong.

Another part of this expansionist strategy is to have celebrities endorse their baby prams and celebrities' children use the Silver Cross dolls prams. Liz Hurley, Angelina Jolie and Maggie Gyllenhaal were some of the first to jump at the chance to associate themselves with Silver Cross' stylish products.

You too can get in on this revitalized royal brand by getting a Silver Cross baby pram for your forth-coming baby or by getting one of the various Silver Cross dolls prams for your daughter.