Backboard
A 'backboard is a wooden or leather device strapped to the back of its wearer to pull the shoulders back, force the neck straight and enforce an upright, severe posture as part of posture training
- From www.staylace.com
Chest-expanding adolescent trainer
- Courtesy Rachael H.
Marie from France has found this picture and description of a corrective backboard from 1872 (New Zealand):
"This particular example originally belonged to Edith, the eighth child of Vicesimus and Blanche Lush. It is constructed of kid leather over a metal frame with various straps, buckles, and brass buttons. The posture corrector was made especially for Edith by F Wiseman's Ltd of Auckland at the order of Doctor Goldsborough. In a letter of 1872, the Reverend Vicesimus refers to the posture corrector, writing: 'Doctor Goldsboro considered one of Edith’s shoulders was decidedly 'growing out' and promised to send down to us immediately a back-board for her use.'
Soon after, Edith died of scarlet fever in April of 1876, at the age of 17, succumbing to the same disease that three of her siblings died of in 1854. Edith’s posture corrector is on display at Ewelme Cottage, along with many other items said to belong to her and her siblings.
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