Brougham

Brougham refers to a type of horse-drawn carriage and, later, to a style of automobile body. The carriage is named after Henry Peter Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux, and became popular in the 1830s. It is a four-wheeled, enclosed vehicle with a box-like passenger cabin. The driver typically sat on a separate seat outside the enclosed area, while passengers were carried inside in a simple, upright arrangement.

In its traditional form, the brougham is characterized by its straight, squared lines and relatively high, level sides. It was designed for urban transport and could be drawn by a single horse or pair, depending on size. The design emphasized comfort and privacy for passengers, with a compact, practical silhouette that contrasted with more ornate carriages of the era.

In the automotive industry, the term brougham was adopted in the early 20th century to describe a sedan-style body with a fixed roof and a formal, enclosed passenger compartment. It was often used to denote four-door configurations intended to convey luxury and propriety. Over time the term became less common in mainstream styling, but it persists in historical catalogs and in the names of certain classic car models.

Beyond transportation, brougham also appears as a surname and in place names, reflecting its historical association with British heritage and carriage history. Today, the word is primarily of interest to historians, car enthusiasts, and collectors of vintage vehicles.