Stretcher Railings

The metal railings you see bordering this housing estate began their life as medical equipment. During the late nineteen thirties, the British government mass-produced over six hundred thousand steel stretchers in anticipation of high civilian casualties from aerial bombing. These stretchers were designed with a distinct wire mesh and two steel poles that featured characteristic kinks at each end, allowing them to rest slightly off the ground for easier handling. Because they were made of steel rather than wood or canvas, they could be quickly decontaminated in the event of a gas attack.