A governess cart, governess car or tub cart is a two-wheeled Horsecart pulled by a single horse or pony, with a tub-shaped body entered from the rear and two longitudinal seats. It was a common way for a governess to transport small children. Tub carts are similar to the "Jaunting car".
Design
The governess cart's distinguishing feature is a tub-shaped body which is made of
wicker, varnished wood or painted wood. There are two longitudinal seats—the passengers facing each other—and a small door in the rear with an exterior low step to enter or exit. The entry and seating arrangement is similar to that of a
wagonette. The driver sits sideways in the right-hand rear corner, and there is usually a cutout of the bench seat as allowance for the knees of the driver as they try to sit facing somewhat forward.
The vehicle has a dropped axle and the shafts for a single horse are attached low on the body, both features contributing to a low centre of gravity. They can be fitted with wheels of different sizes to accommodate small ponies up to large horses. There is usually a fender which helps keep water and mud from flinging up onto the passengers and helps to keep children from reaching the wheels. The body is usually mounted on elliptical springs, though other spring systems have also been used.
File:1880 Tonneau Governess-cart, Château de Chenonceau.JPG|This image shows the typical dropped axle, elliptical springs, iron-clad wheels, and fenders. This large cart even has brakes.
File:For Nanny and Children (3291322385).jpg|This image shows the rear door. This cart has button-tufted upholstery, carriage lamps, semi-elliptical springs, and rubber-clad wheels.
File:Dr Evans' family, Llandysul (Cer) NLW3363341.jpg|This image shows how the driver would sit in the rear right seat, twisted forward.
Variations
The governess cart is also called a governess
car or tub cart, though the tub cart usually refers to the larger and heavier vehicles. Other regional names for the same vehicle have included
Avondale in the US,
Digby in northeast England, and
Jingle in southwest England.
Some tub carts don't have a rear door, but instead an open doorway. A few are headed (built with a top). A Princess car has a governess cart body, but is entered from the front. A Beverley car is an unvarnished wood square-sided version, instead of having rounded corners. Some four-wheeled vehicles have been mistakenly called governess carts, either because their bodies were tub-shaped or made of basketwork (resembling a governess cart).
Historical context
The governess cart is a relatively late development in horse-drawn vehicles, appearing around 1880–1900. The purpose of the vehicle is to be light enough to be drawn by a well-mannered pony or small horse.
They were frequently used by
to transport their child charges, giving rise to the vehicle's name. The vehicle is also relatively safe, being difficult to overturn, fall out of, or be injured from the horse or wheels. Entering from the rear, instead of entering in front of a wheel, is a safer position for small children because they don't risk being run over if the horse doesn't stand still.
See also
Notes
