This year’s horse-drawn wagon display at Fryeburg Fair featured English Trade Vehicles.
The 20 commercial vehicles from the international collection of Margaret and Sut Marshall of Conway, NH included the Dymond Carter’s Van, the Vaux Breweries Show Van and the Baines Pantechnicon, a huge moving van drawn by three horses abreast.

Sut and Margaret Marshall of Conway, NH, owners of the horse-drawn wagon collection, stand in front of the Abbott Dairy milk wagon. At right, Ken Wheeling talks about the history of the Gypsy Wagon.

     The two newest acquisitions are a pair of carriages formerly belonging to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. One is a Royal Brougham. The other is a Royal Clarence, once housed in the Royal Mews, which houses the coaches and stables at Buckingham Palace.
     Also on display this year were steam fire engines - a Shand Mason and a Merriweather - along with several agricultural vehicles.
      This marks the fourth year that the Marshalls displayed several of their extensive collection of century-old carriages in the 150- by 36-foot show barn built in 2004.
     “Towns and Villages” proved to be at huge hit in first exhibition. That was followed by the “Going to the Fair” collection that drew huge crowds. Last year’s theme was “People Movers.” The Marshall’s collection continues to grow and now totals more than 175 pieces.

     “We feel this in an opportunity for us to share our collection with locals and visitors from afar,” Marshall said. The couple owns Abbott’s Ice Cream, distributors of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream.
     The Marshalls had once considered opening a museum in Conway to display the collection but staffing, security and overhead were significant concerns.
     “When the fair suggested setting up a permanent display in a building they would construct, it seemed like the best solution for everybody,” Marshall said.
      Marshall’s passion has focused on trade or commercial vehicles, which he said have all but disappeared.
      “The more expensive wagons were cared for and restored over the years. But the everyday commercial vehicles were pushed over the bank when gas-powered trucks and delivery vehicles started appearing,” Marshall said, who has been collecting for nearly 20 years.


These are two of the English vehicles that were on display in the Horse-drawn wagon building at the 2007 fair.