The first thing you need to know in order to understand Victorian England’s “wheelbarrow craze” is that pedestrianism, or competitive walking, was all the rage in the U.S. and U.K. in the late 19th century. The sport produced some of the first celebrity athletes, complete with collectible cards and brand endorsements. Amid this trend, a Scottish former circus performer named Bob Carlisle saw the potential to make a name for himself after seeing an American walking celebrity who was doin...
