 | | Teacups ride at King's Lynn Mart |
To the residents of King's Lynn, the town's annual Mart is still as exciting as ever. It may have changed over the years, rock music replacing the Wurlitzer, diesel powered generators superseding steam and white knuckle rides proving more of a crowd pleaser than traditional carousels, but The man behind the development of the Mart into an internationally important event for showmen was Frederick Savage. "People went to him every February in the 1850s into the 1860s asking him to repair equipment so Savage became a friend of the showmen," said historian Dr Paul Richards. RevolutionarySavage had an agricultural engineering business just off the Tuesday Market Place. It was there that he came up with an idea which would revolutionise the rides. "He suddenly realised with them, 'Why don't we have a centre engine in the middle of the rides?'- so instead of self-propelled power we could have steam power and have much bigger roundabouts," said Richards. The rides may have got bigger and faster but that link to the past is still honoured according to Roger Gray, a member of one of the best known showmen families. "The Eastern Counties section of the Showmen's Guild always provides a set of galloping horses in that position next to the Globe." Royal approval | | The Queen at King's Lynn Mart. |
Over the years the Mart has been graced by Royal visitors. In 1955 Roger Gray's uncle invited the Queen to attend when she was staying at Sandringham. It may not have happened but for the intervention of the Great British weather. "Unfortunately at the beginning it was a refusal," said Roger. "She was unable to make it because of her other commitments, she had to go back to London. "But fortunately the famous Mart weather intervened and the train was cancelled so she then sent a messenger to say that she could take up the invitation," he added. Happy memoriesStories about the Mart are recalled in an exhibition at True's Yard Museum which is running alongside this year's event. The exhibition features a selection of photos of the Mart's history dating back to the early 1900s. The display brings back happy memories for many people including former North End schoolgirl Betty Hazelwood. "We used to have a half-day. The mart opened at 12, so at 11 they used to say, if you’re good you’ll be able to go onto the Mart and we used to have a half day to go," she said. The Mart is open from Tuesday, 14 February, until Tuesday, 27 February, 2007.The exhibition at True's Yard Museum runs until Easter. | 
