The First Stair Lift in History

First European Use: King Henry VIII

Believe it or not, the first recorded use of a stairlift was in the mid-1500s by King Henry VIII! Historians believe that Henry had a system called a “Throne Chair” built to help him climb up and down the 20 steps at Whitehall Castle. It is thought that the stairlift was powered by human power using a block and rope system borrowed from one of the King’s warships.

First Stairlift in America

The earliest recorded use of a modern stairlift is in the United States. In 1923, C.C. Crispen designed a chair that could climb stairs for a sick friend. He called it the Inclinator.

LiftArt Stairlift

The First Stairlift in History