Peaky Blinders pram among those being sold from Kenilworth woman's collection

A black Marmet Model W 1920s pram, restored and hand-painted by Mrs Brenda Nason and featuring its original hood and an umbrella case, was used for the programme and is among several borrowed for period TV shows.

Mrs Nason, 78, a great grandmother from Kenilworth, is selling 30 of her prams, collected since the 1970s.

They include rare and top-quality examples such as the Millson Sunningdale make favoured by the royal family and a 1920s Millson pram, which originates from Yorkshire stately home Castle Howard where TV drama Brideshead Revisited was filmed.

The collection will be sold tomorrow (Tuesday, June 18) at Hansons Auctioneers in Derbyshire.

Makes and models include Marmet Britannia, Osnath, Pedigree, Wilson, Cumfifolda, Silver Cross and Millsons. The Duchess of Cambridge pushed Princess Charlotte to her christening in a vintage Millson pram the Queen used to take Prince Charles to his christening in 1948.

Hansons holds regular free valuation events in the area and will be at St Francis of Assisi Church Hall at 110 Warwick Road, Kenilworth, CV8 1HL on July 11, from 10am to 4pm.

As well as general valuations, antiquarian books expert Jim Spencer and vintage clothing expert Notty Hornblower will be in attendance.

Mrs Nason is also parting company with vintage Silver Cross Wilson prams identical to the ones she used to push her own babies in when she started her family 60 years ago.

She said: “I’m selling a Wilson La Ronde and Wilson Pastorale, the same makes we purchased for our own babies, a La Ronde in 1959 and the Pastorale in 1969. These were top quality. I paid 38 guineas (equivalent to £594) for my original Pastorale, which was a lot of money in 1969.”

Mrs Nason added: “I think my love of prams was sparked by my mother. When I was a little girl in 1945, I desperately wanted a Silver Cross toy pram for my dolls. My birthday was approaching and there was a black Silver Cross with mother’s name on it inside a toy shop.

“I went to the shop every day to look and dream. One day the pram had gone. I was so excited. On the day of my birthday I woke early and rushed downstairs but no pram. I thought it was going to appear after school so rushed home but still no pram.

“I never ever told my mother of my disappointment. It was obvious she had intended to buy it for me but, being wartime, money was short.

“My husband Malcolm bought me the pram I’d always longed for as a girl on my 60th birthday. Collecting and restoring prams was a labour of love for us both.

“Sadly, I lost Malcolm very suddenly three years ago, he collapsed at home and it was a terrible shock. We met when I was 16 and he 18 and almost made our diamond wedding anniversary.

“After that things were never the same. But even before I lost Malcolm I’d been saying I would have to let the prams go as I was approaching 80.

“We used to live in a large house with lots of space for the prams but I’ve downsized to a bungalow and simply haven’t got room for them all any more, even though I am holding on to a few.

“At one point we had over 200 prams dating from the 1800s to the 1970s but I never liked to count them. They cost me a fortune to restore but I did it for love.”

Mrs Nason, who has three children, four grandchildren and recently welcomed a great grandson into the family, says her favourite make is Silver Cross – but she isn’t fond of today’s generation of prams.

“They’re more like cots. The babies fit in to them too tightly. In the larger, older style prams they could stretch out their arms and legs and sleep comfortably.”