Prams Perfect Prams

Anyone heard of Fetha-lite prams or Greenwood & Co (nottinghan) Ltd from the 1950's.  I have just got a coachbuilt pram which is believed to be a Fetha-lite?

Thanks

Janet

Hi there I am just about to purchase a fetha-lite and would also like to know something about them.So if there is anyone here who could shed some light that would be great.:)

Hi I have a Fethalite pram, im not sure who they are made for but I have found many similarities to silvercross prams re spare parts, the wheels appear the same fitting (split pin with 3 prong hubcaps) they have wooden bodies as opposed to metal and are much lighter in weight to push, tghe hood and apron on mine ( original material) is made of stylon.

The chassis has a pul push brake like on the royale prams so maybe its a combination of the two.

They do appear to have the two different size chassis like silvercross some on the big wheels spome on smaller ones.

Other than that sorry I cant tel you anything else as havent seen any brochures aboiut them and in my time of looking have only seen about 3 featha lite  prams on ebay one being a dolls pram...

My pram is in storage as I moved house and I still have to get its wheels trued up and the tyres back on befor its all reasembled after all its chrome was re done like new, so sorry cant show any photos of it

Hi thanks so much for that info:).Would be good to find out something more about them but cant find a thing online at all.So glad though they have silver cross spares as wouldnt know how to replace anything so thats lucky.Would the hood  size be the same as a silver cross or would i be better off having the existing frame recovered I wonder?:roll:BTW does anyone know who owned the fethalite pictured on the photo gallery as its exactly the same as the one i have just bought and as there arent that many around am wondering if this is one in the same.

oh Janet any chance of a photo of your fethalite?

does anyone know who owned the fethalite pram in album 2 when the photo was taken as this is exactly the same as the one i have bought and as there are hardly any about i wonder if this is the same pram?

Pam at 10:00AM on Jan 16, 2010

does anyone know who owned the fethalite pram in album 2 when the photo was taken as this is exactly the same as the one i have bought and as there are hardly any about i wonder if this is the same pram?

Hi Everyone

I have a feeling the Fethalite was a pram which was built from a multitude of different parts from other makes.   The body seems to be the only thing which is original!   The hood looks like the Swan hood, the handle looks like a Manton, the wheels and chassis look like the Manton and the brake resembles the Marmet brake.   Still, it's just as well that SilverCross parts fit, otherwise you might never get it back on the road!    It's definitely a much lighter pram than the other wooden bodies but I feel that is because the makers didn't use a very good quality frame and body shell.

Pat

Perfectprams

hi Pat thanks for reply.do youknow why the fethalite is so rare?my oh jokes that is because it was not very sturdy and that they all disintegrated!i have yet to arrange a courier for mine and had to guess the weight which was hard as some people say wood prams are lighter and some say heavier.i plumped for 40 kilos do you think thats about right?also i am paying £90 for mine(including the bubble wrap)and will have to have a new hood and apron and maybe tyres is this about right also?

It is possible that the pram is so rare because, like the Manton, the company were not in production for very long and they were possibly at the lower end of their market.  But having said that, they were still a much better quality build than anything you can buy today.    The Fethalite was competing against the Millsons, Osnath, Marmet, Wilson and suchlike - which were the very best in their class - and which have survived in their thousands so perhaps it is not surprising that very few Fethalites have survived.   Manton is also quite a lightweight pram,  although the chassis itself is really heavy.

I think £90 is quite a reasonable price for your pram, after all you are buying a coachbuilt pram, a vintage carriage and an icon from the 1960s - a piece of history.   When the hood and apron have been sorted out, and the tyres put back on to shining wheels, the whole pram being cleaned and polished then you will feel very proud of your purchase and hopefully you will send me some photos of your restoration so I can show everyone on these pages what you have achieved?

Kind regards

Pat

Perfectprams

Hi there Pat.Well the pram arrived with some bad dealings from Paisley Freight.they picked up and delivered when they said albeit it wasnt paisley freight but city link but with a certain amount of rudeness(from p/f not city link) which is uneccesary, they overcharged me and now I,m having a job getting my money back.The pram ,I knew needed a new hood and apron and new tyres.What I wasnt told in fact I asked outright and was lied to by the seller was that there are some what looks like mouse nibbles on the inside of the bed.The biggest thing I think is that I really wanted a huge pram body(inside bed)like i had when my firstborn was a baby and asked her to measure she said 18"x38" and it actually measures 16" x30"..1" shorter than the one I have.I have never done up a pram before and havnt a clue how to begin and how to source what this one needs.The seller also bound the bubble wrap with tape and that has stuck to the wood body.My hysband says he will try to get this off with white spirit.The straps i was told were all there and fitted dont and arent all there.So thats another £25.Can anyone help me with the things I need and tell me where I can get them without having to pay a lot as I have been a bit naughty in buying it before I sell my other one to get me the money to start to do it up and have left myself short.My shopping list is..The hood recovered in green,a new apron in green,4 new tyres(havnt measured them yet)s a full set of straps.Some way of mending the plastic..so far can only think of taping it which wont look too good.Got to fill some wood where there is damage then repaint the whole chassis.So all and any suggestions please.:roll:

to add that the trim all around needs replacing and that is held on by tacks and not sure how to get them off or if it needs more trim or just taking off and leaving it without?

You must be so disappointed, some people have a very different idea as to condition.  I also have a Featha-lite awaiting restoration,I'll try to pos a picture tomorrow.  You are right that they were made in Nottingham but I need to look up further information for you.  At least with a wooden body these prams are quite easy to repair and re-line.  I'm a novice myself so I do't know how much help I can be, but I would sand and fill any marks on the outside and repaint,remove the lining making note of how it was attached and replace with new padding and lining (quarter inch foam and a layer of quilt padding under the new lining, Pat may be able to tell you where to get some) polish up the chrome.  Straps from Jackie on here cost £25 I think but are the best quality and length, which just leaves tyres and hood/apron.  The tyres can be obtained from Rudy in the Netherlands, there should be a link on here, and hoods are all different (as I've found to my cost) so get the original recovered and a new apron made - if you're feeling brave you could try this yourself, I'm on my tenth attempt at recovering and they're getting closer to acceptable!  Any questions just ask and I'll try to help :0) Maddie 

Hi Maddie,I am on the brink of selling it on because I have worked out £125 for hood and apron to be recovered using the original lining plus postage then £25 for straps plus postage.4 new tyres not sure but maybe up to £120.then the hub caps dont know what they will cost.The trim not sure if I have the expertise to get that off and replace.I already paid £90 and £32 courier.I just cant afford the amount it needs.I know it is a rare pram and all but would rather it went where someone could do it up than me see it every day and not be able to do anything about it.I just wishe the seller had been honest with me.I live and learn.:unsure:

I'm not surprised you want to sell, it's so disappointing to have to do loads of work to a pram that isn't even the size you wanted.  Hopefully you'll recover your costs and find another pram that is closer to what you want.  I've added a picture of my Featha-Lite (or tried to, hope it works) just so you can see.  Mine doesn't need so much work but I have others to work on first

Hi Maddie,I have decided to bite the bullit and go for renovating the pram as i am growing to love it and can see it will be a lovely pram once done up.i am going to start with the hood and apron which i have got sorted am sending them off to be recovered at a cost of £115 inc return p&p but not outgoing p&p.Next will be the wood filling and body painting and painting or spraying the chassis.The chrome is good at least.I am on the hunt for 4,3 prong hubcaps if you know anyone?Then I have to consider whether to get new tyres or not.Will probably have to.Thinking of getting them either from Holland or there is someone else on ebay does them.got to cost it out as I am unable to spend the money at present.There is some very slight damage to the inside bed but have been advised that potential buyers will first look at the chrome as this is an expensive thing to fix and as the chrome is good on my pram then the inside body damage can be covered by bedding etc.,its not at all extensive just a couple of niggly bits.Then the pram will be good so thanks so much for the photo of your fethalite.Nice to know there are some others out there as I havnt heard of many at all.Do you know what age mine would be(its the same as the one on the photo gallery on here,just type in fethalite and the style/model that comes up is the same as mine).

Hi Janet..can we have a picture of your fethalite please?

Hi. I always understood that the Fetha-lite was made for or by the Co-op and was only sold by them. I stand to be corrected if I am wrong.

that would be about right for a pram i would own!! i,ve never had anything top class.ah well i love her now and she is going to be used again once she is done up.its a learning curve for me which i,m actually starting to enjoy.Would be good to find out more about the make though theres barely anything online.Maddie your fethalite is very pretty:)

Thank you, yes I think she's pretty.  Can't recover the hold and apron though as I can't find the right colour fabric, that shade of green really suits her.  I think Queen of the Road were made for Co-op and only sold by them, you don't see many of them around.  I know Feathalite prams were made in Old Basford, an industrial area just outside Nottingham.  There were loads of lace weavers and brewers up there then, but I don't think they were in existence for very long which might explain their rarity.  They are certainly much lighter to push than the equivalent marmet although they look to be made of the same quality materials.  I'm going into Nottingham later this week.  If I have time I'll call in at the library and see if I can find out anything more

that would be great if you could find out something.:)so far I have sent the hood and apron off to Marie and cant wait for them to come back!I have ordered new white straps from Jackie and i have got some foam and filling and am going to attempt to take the tacks out and the old filling and refill with the foam and filling and get the new faux leather tacked back on- if i break any tacks then i will get some more there are some nice ones on ebay.my husband is going to help me fill the damage to the wood and spray the body although we are not sure what to do about the fine lines painted on it not sure if we are clever enough to replicate them..and my son is going to spray the chassis.The lining will be hard for me to do as i,ve never attempted upholstery of any kind before.then i have to save up for the tyres which i will probably get from netherlands.i do need hubcaps though and these seem to be llike golddust.will be interested to see what you can find out from the library.