A doll's pram from years gone by
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (364073)
Rockingham, Australia
October 15, 2025 7:28pm CST
Kerosene tins were once very common in Western Australia. Once emptied, the tins, which I think held four gallons, would be used for all sorts of purposes other than holding kerosene. They would be cobbled together to make cupboards and containers.
In the photo, one has been fashioned into a doll’s pram. It was part of the display in the Westonia Museum. I don’t know how the wheels were made. Although it looks very battered now, I’m sure it looked much better when it was first made. I can imagine a little girl being thrilled to receive this. Bought toys were few and far between for most country children living around the turn of last century.
13 people like this
13 responses
@FourWalls (79440)
• United States
16h
That’s so neat. Those were the days when things were repurposed because of limited resources (or money, or both). There was a coal mining museum here that had flour sack dresses on display (after using the flour, the flour sack would be used to make clothes). Our great-grandparents were extremely resourceful!!!
5 people like this
@BarBaraPrz (50444)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
18h
The wheel were cut using tin snips or wire cutters or something of the sort, same as the pram's arms would have been.
3 people like this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17047)
• China
6h
It is a unique style of doll’s pram ! They utilized the emptied kerosene tins to the utmost extent.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (364073)
• Rockingham, Australia
6h
Those old tins were put to a great many uses. Often a wire handle was attached and the tin then became a bucket.
@Marilynda1225 (86538)
• United States
5h
That doll pram certainly is interesting. Amazing how they took those kerosene tins and repurposed them into a pram.
