KING HENRY VIII

Believe it or not, the first recorded use in the history of stair lifts was by King Henry the VIII in the mid-1500s! Historians give an account of Henry commissioning a “chairthrone” to aid him in ascending and descending the 20 steps at Whitehall Castle. It is believed that the stair lift was human powered, using a block and tackle system borrowed from one of the King’s warships.