Baby Cages

Written by: George Chittenden : 08 Nov 2019

This bizarre photo was taken in 1934 in London. It shows a baby cage which East Poplar Borough Council suggested fixing outside of their buildings. It apparently provided fresh air for the child, room to play with toys and a place to sleep. The cages were distributed to members of the Chelsea Baby Club who lived in high buildings and had no gardens.

Baby cages were popular during the 1930s

I imagine some of you are thinking that this is a joke, surprisingly it isn’t. The patent for the baby cage was filed in America in 1922 by Emma Read, from Washington, and was granted the following year. In the 1930s baby cages were popular in Britain, but in 1940s baby cages went out of fashion and there hasn’t been a resurgence. Air pollution aside, they look like a health and safety accident waiting to happen.

A child relaxing in the fresh air.

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