Wolverhampton ex-pram firm sheds get the push

Two buildings have been levelled on the orders of Paul Windridge, grandson of Bert and Maggie Windridge, who set up Windridge Prams in 1920s.

The buildings were two sheds situated on the company's plot of land off Cleveland Street, in Wolverhampton's city centre.

Paul Windridge, aged 59, from Tettenhall, said: "I knocked down the buildings to brighten up the city. They were a blot on the horizon and an eyesore so I'm delighted to see them go.

"The council also wanted me to knock down the buildings as they were falling down.

"I hope the move can help Wolverhampton's green shoots of recovery that is taking place."

Windridge Prams made prams at their factory in Church Street, Wolverhampton and sold them at their shop in Worcester Street.

The company also stocked outlets in Bilston, Stafford, West Bromwich and Dudley.

Mr Windridge added: "The company was well known and popular in Wolverhampton.

"The workers used to wheel the prams from the factory to our shop in Worcester Street.

"During the war there would be queues stretching down the road for our prams."

The company's slogan was 'Why Worry! Wheel a Windridge'.

Mr Windridge joined the company aged 23 as a director in 1979.

The Wolverhampton shop closed in 1987 but the firm still leases out the car park.

Despite working at his family's pram shop for a decade, Mr Windridge had only ever seen one picture of a model manufactured by his grandfather's company.

However, a chance encounter with 58-year old pensioner Noreen Lawrence in 2013 allowed him to stumble upon a blown up black and white canvas photograph, of Noreen as a toddler in a Windridge Pram.

Mr Windridge said:?"It was just amazing. It was more than a blast from the past. It wasn't not 10 or 15 years ago; it was 85 years ago."