Figure 1.--Here English children are enjoying their skstes, skooters, and bicycles on what looks like a school play ground. The photograph is undated, but looks like the 1950s.

Roller skates are a shoe or boot with wheeles are casters attached to the sole. Most have four wheels, but some are dine sith two. This provides the wearer to skate on smooth surfaces such as pacement. Children skate on sidewalks or other pavements. Entusiasts may go to rinks with especially prepared surfaces. Roller skare boots can be expensive. As less expensive expedient for children were devices whith the wheels that could be clamped on to the shoes. These were relatively inexpensive and thus easily available for children. Early versions of roller skates first appeared in England during the late-18th century. Improvenments were made during the 19th century, but it was not until they began to mass produced in America that the cost came down so they could become a children's toy. We see large numbers of children enjoying roller skating during the 20th century. Many of the available photographs shows boys skating. This caries from country to country. For some reason in America, skating seems to have been particularly popular with girls. In the late-20th century new forms of skates such as in-line skates became popular, but they required a higher skill level that the traditional skates. Skate boarding is essentially and off shoot of roller skating. We have begun to build country pages to assess trends in different coutries. We have pages on America, England, France, and Germany.

Design

Roller skates are a shoe or boot with wheeles are casters attached to the sole. Most have four wheels, but some are dine sith two. This provides the wearer to skate on smooth surfaces such as pacement. Children skate on sidewalks or other pavements. Entusiasts may go to rinks with especially prepared surfaces. We are not sure when rooler rinks first appeared, but we know they were operating in America during the 1880s. Roller skare boots can be expensive. As less expensive expedient for children were devices whith the wheels that could be clamped on to the shoes. These were relatively inexpensive and thus easily available for children.

Chronology

Early versions of roller skates first appeared in England during the late-18th century. Improvenments were made during the 19th century, but it was not until they began to mass produced in America that the cost came down so they could become a children's toy. The first roller skater we note is Frank Bigelow, an American boy in 1882. The We see large numbers of children enjoying roller skating during the 20th century. Many of the available photographs shows boys skating. This caries from country to country. For some reason in America, skating seems to have been particularly popular with girls, at least by the mid-20th century.

New Forms

In the late-20th century new forms of skates such as in-line skates became popular, but they required a higher skill level that the traditional skates. Skate boarding is essentially and off shoot of roller skating.

Cpountry Trends

We have begun to build country pages to assess trends in different coutries. We have pages on America, England, France, and Germany.

Created: 9:45 PM 10/17/2009
Last updated: 9:46 PM 10/17/2009