Name/Title
WheelchairDescription
Gendron Canada wooden wheelchair with wire spoke wheels.Context
"Based in Toledo, Ohio, the Gendron Mfg. Co. had been established by Peter Gendron (1844 - 1911) who, in 1865, at the age of 21, had left his father’s wagon works in St. Ours, Quebec, to move to Ohio where he found employment as a pattern maker for the Toledo Novelty Works. By 1871 Gendron had established his own business.
In 1874 the ingenious young French-Canadian was granted a patent for a lightweight, wire-spoke wheel he had designed. The wheel was quickly found to be more durable and much superior to the heavy, solid wooden wheels of the time. Gendron incorporated ball bearings into the hub to reduce the wear on the wheel as it turned on the axle and in 1880 established the Gendron Wheel Co. to install his invention on everything from baby buggies and doll carriages to wagons and wheelchairs. The first vehicles to use the new Gendron wheel were the large adult tricycles of the 1800’s.
In 1895 Gendron established the Gendron Mfg. Co. of Toronto and built an impressive brick factory at 411 Richmond St. in Toronto. Here his company began to produce not only bicycles and tricycles, but doll carriages and other children's toys as well."
source https://www.vintageccm.com/content/gendron-manufacturing-co