Saw Doctor's Wagon

Wyn and Peter Herry collection

In 1935 Harold Wright (c1905-69), a young English migrant, converted a horse-drawn wagon into a travelling workshop and home that he christened the 'Road Urchin'. A variety of tools for sharpening and repairing domestic utensils and saws were fitted to the side of the wagon, with a living area at the back. For the next 34 years Harold travelled the length and breadth of eastern Australia earning a living as a travelling tinker and 'saw doctor'. Sometime in the 1940s he fitted the converted wagonette onto the chassis of a 1928 Chevrolet light duty truck. The wagon was continually re-furbished and enlarged to make it more homely. Knick-knacks, bright paint, lively signs, unusual gadgets and shapes were all added to attract the attention of potential customers. Eventually, in early 1963, the front of the truck was removed and the caravan converted to a trailer that was towed by a 1948 David Brown tractor. A utility truck cabin was fitted to the tractor and, like the wagon, it was decorated with all sorts of colourful bits and pieces.

Harold Wright met and married Dorothy Jean McDougall in Brisbane in about 1940 and together the couple raised a daughter, Evelyn May. Following Mr Wright's death on 5 October 1969 the tractor and wagon were sold to a second-hand dealer at Wangaratta. They passed to a private collector and then, in 2002, became part of the National Historical Collection.