Silver Cross (company)

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Silver Cross LtdFounded| 1877

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Headquarters| Skipton, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Parent| Fosun International
Website| silvercrossbaby.com

Silver Cross is an English private limited company and manufacturer of baby transport and other baby-related products, founded in 1877. Based in Skipton, North Yorkshire, United Kingdom, Silver Cross sells baby prams (perambulators, a type of baby transport) and pushchairs. Its parent company, the Chinese conglomerate Fosun International, owns 87.2 percent of the equity.[1]

An early Silver Cross coach-built pram Silver Cross vintage advert Silver Cross pram, 1960/70s Silver Cross Balmoral coach-built pram

## History[edit]

### Founding[edit]

William Wilson founded the company in 1877 in Hunslet, Leeds.[2][3] Wilson's prams used a spring system and a reversible hood,[2] which he produced in a factory on Silver Cross Street, Leeds.[4] In 1897, Wilson opened a factory on Whitehouse Street in Leeds.[5] Thereafter, Wilson registered more than 30 patents for pram design.[6] After receiving a Royal Warrant for baby carriage production, William Wilson died at age 58. Ownership passed to his three sons: James, Irwin, and Alfred.[7]

### 20th century[edit]

In the 1920s and 1930s, the Wilson brothers supplied a Silver Cross baby carriage to George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.[2] By 1936, Silver Cross had moved to a larger factory in Guiseley.[5]

In the 1940s and 1950s, Silver Cross developed new techniques for pram production. Plywood bodies were replaced with aluminum, and new rubber die presses, spot-welding machines, and others were installed at the Silver Cross Works. Posters of the time portrayed Silver Cross prams alongside Rolls-Royce cars, leading to the unofficial title of "the Rolls-Royce of Prams".[2] Silver Cross prams came to be seen as old-fashioned.[3][8]

### 21st century[edit]

In 2002, the company was sold to Alan Halsall for £500,000.[8] While Halsall kept the older designs, most of the company's sales came from more modern designs, such as car seats.[8] Additionally, Halsall wanted Silver Cross to partner with complementary British manufacturers, such as furniture makers and toy makers.[8] Halsall also focused on expanding the company into international markets, particularly Asian territories, including China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore.[8]

In 2013, Silver Cross entered into a partnership with classic British automotive brand Aston Martin to produce a special edition of the Surf pram and pushchair.[9]

On July 20, 2015, Fosun International announced it had purchased the company from Halsall.[10] As of 2017, Fosun owned 87.23% of the company.[11]

In October 2016, the company announced their expansion into the United States via ABC Expo, a trade show for children's products.[12]

## Products[edit]

Silver Cross's coach-built prams have a hard body, C-spring suspension, spoked wheels, and a folding hood. This method of pram construction was developed by William Wilson, who marketed it and registered numerous patents for perambulator design.[13]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Fosun Group Expands the Health Consumption Investment by Partnering with Silver Cross". en.fosun.com. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
2. ^ a b c d "History of Silver Cross | British Design Since 1877". silvercrossus.com. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
3. ^ a b "Wheels of fortune for Silver Cross - the prams that pushed themselves all the way to the top". www.yorkshirepost.co.uk. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
4. ^ Leeds City Council. "Dewsbury Road, Silver Cross Hotel". www.leodis.net. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
5. ^ a b Leeds City Council. "Silver Cross Street, numbers 6, 8 & 10". www.leodis.net. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
6. ^ "William Wilson and Sons - Graces Guide". www.gracesguide.co.uk. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
7. ^ "The first Silver Cross pram returns home". www.antiquestradegazette.com. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
8. ^ a b c d e Wood, Zoe (24 September 2010). "Silver Cross: the British pram winning over pushy mums". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
9. ^ Coren, Giles. "The £2,000 Aston Martin pram that's a real babe magnet". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
10. ^ "Fosun Group Expands the Health Consumption Investment by Partnering with Silver Cross". Fosun. 20 July 2015. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
11. ^ "Fosun Annual Report 2017" (PDF). 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
12. ^ Silver Cross. "Beloved British Juvenile Products Brand, Silver Cross, Launches In USA At ABC Expo". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
13. ^ "Our Story : Silver Cross | Baby Gear Since 1877". Silver Cross USA. Retrieved 14 October 2022.

## External links[edit]

* Official website