Historians reveal world’s first slide, Photos

This slide was built in Northamptonshire England in 1922. It was just wood, a set of stairs, and no railings.

“These days, the health and safety brigade would have a fit if a slide like this was put in a playground,” said historian Linden Groves, who discovered the photographs.

These were the days where if you hurt yourself, you just might get a whipping from your mom or pop, not a payout or settlement.




The great inventor of the slide Charles Wicksteed then went on to make a much better one after this success

The slide was created by Charles Wicksteed, who went on to manufacture a more modern version from steel and wood. Wicksteed is quoted in one of his company catalogs in 1924: “It was at first thought that children would hesitate about climbing so high a ladder; this has proved to be quite a mistake. They go up without fear or trembling and we have never had an accident of any sort, although tens of thousands of sliders use them.” Wicksteed also introduced the curve at the end of the slide, so that children don’t speed straight into the ground.

Just awesome, I wonder if he ever knew or realized just how popular they would become. Or how much joy he would bring to children almost everywhere!




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I would think a wooden slide would potentially give you splinters in your bum. Ouch.

Way cool to see this. Can't wait to share it with my students, who are big fans of the slide!

reply to post by smyleegrl


haha I thought that too, maybe they gathered something for extra padding? lol someone had to complain at some point.

Nah, those kids were probably so happy they didnt care about getting pricked

Wait, im sure even now sliding down wood isnt all that fun

reply to post by WeBrooklyn


Not to be picky but I'm pretty sure the first slide was a stair handrail.

Great pictures.

reply to post by Iamonlyhuman

Not to be picky but I'm pretty sure the first slide was a stair handrail.

That would have been wooden too!

Im still left wondering if it would have been fun

btw I wonder where these pics were found now that I think about it, didnt say...

Things that make you go hmmm

reply to post by sm yleegrl


Not to mention splinters in your hands too. But I bet that wouldn't stop them. I wonder if any of them will ask if that's a UFO in the top pic?

The pics were delightful. Thanks, OP.

reply to post by WeBrooklyn


In my younger days, many many moons ago, our slides were made out of metal. Great for moving fast. Horrible on a hot day when you wore shorts.

But yeah, the skin burns were worth it!

In my younger days, many many moons ago, our slides were made out of metal. Great for moving fast. Horrible on a hot day when you wore shorts. But yeah, the skin burns were worth it!

reply to post by smyleegrl


This slide in the photo must have been much more dangerous than it looks...maybe

I actually broke my leg when I was 6, metal slide but there was no padding on the ground, just dirt which formed into a big hole, twisted my leg all the way around!

I'd take the heat on a hot day lol

Bet someone in the Health and Safety department had an embolism looking at that pic.

Originally posted by Suspiria
Bet someone in the Health and Safety department had an embolism looking at that pic.

My first thought, as a teacher, was OMG. Someone's getting sued for this!

Ahhh....the good ole days.....

I've returned to the thread after thinking about it for a while and wondering this about the first photo:
Why was the slide elevated at all off the ground? Would the safety factor not have been less of an issue perhaps if the board had lain directly on the soil? And would the children not have loved that? I wonder what it was that made him design it in an elevated way?

All this deep thought as I began to sip my first cup of the day. Then some cells finally kicked in: Ah, perhaps to keep their clothes clean? Here's to coffee!

I disagree with the title of the article and consequently the title of this thread. First playground slide? Acceptable. First documented slide purely for enjoyment? Possible and acceptable. First slide? NO.

There are many slides used in the wet mining salt industry dating from 400BC, the most famous is in Salzburg Germany. Tourists can still slide down them as part of the tour of the mines. Here is a video of experiencing this slide....

I visited some of these mines in the early 80s and the slide I experienced wasn't like the one in the video. The one in the video is a flat section with two raised sections on either side, where the ones I rode were simply a convex slide in which you straddled.

Also the concept of a slide was known well before this as well as there was an executioners slide. it was a very long and tall bladed slide that was used to cut the accused in half as they slid down the blade.

reply to post by Agarta


I looked at this thread, title and story as a playground slide, something for the kids as opposed to transporting things back and forth but thank you for bringing that to light here. I didnt know that, as I never looked up history on the slide, never thought of it but now you've given me more to read