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Post by Don Ricardo on Jun 11, 2008 21:26:14 GMT 10
ORFORD CARAVAN COMPANY:1016 Stanley Street, East Brisbane, Qld
1956 Orford advertisement and specifications:   (Source: Keith Winser, Australian Caravan & Touring Manual for 1956, pp 118 & 84)
The text accompanying the photo calls the caravan an 'Oxford', but if you read the full text you will see that both the typesetter and the proofreader had a particularly bad day at the office that day! ;D
Slim Dusty's Orford: (Source: Australian Caravan + RV, Winter 2008, p. 32) Slim Dusty's "...third van was a real beauty, a custom-made caravan called 'The Sunlander'. it was a big van and, with a loungeroom up the front, the couple [Slim and his wife] could invite friends back for a cuppa after the show, while the kids could be asleep in their beds up back. It had a kitchen and a shower too which, considering it doubled as a dressing-room, made perfect sense." (Pat Callinan, 'The Legend Lives On', Australian Caravan + RV, Winter 2008, p.32)Note that the caravan is painted in what appears to have been Slim Dusty's personal 'livery' - duck egg blue bottom half, white top half, separated by a maroon waist stripe. This colour scheme was used on at least three of his caravans which illustrate the Pat Callinan's article. Don Ricardo
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Post by cobber on May 1, 2009 19:34:53 GMT 10
From the 1962 Caravan and Touring Manual.... Orford now have a 32' model... and if Slim wasn't down on his uppers I reckon he would have updated to this model in 1962    (Not sure I like this "Hillbilly" tag...... he was "Australia's greatest Country Music Artist"....... (just my opinion  ) Cobber. |
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Post by silverbullet on Dec 23, 2011 7:16:01 GMT 10
My little family have just bought a '63 Orford (Aluminium). I'm very grateful for the above postings but so far can't seem to find much else out about the company. But I'm looking forward to researching!
Do any of the forum members own an Orford?
Would love to hear any info/history etc.
Thanks in advance!
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Post by cobber on Dec 23, 2011 8:00:19 GMT 10
G'day silverbullet, I don't think there are any other Orford owners on the forum so.... we would like to see a photo of your Orford because there was some discussion back in 2008 that might have suggested the later model Orfords were re-badged Franklins, and if they were into re-badging they might have used other brands of vans too. Have a look in the Franklin thread and see if you can find one similar to your van  You can see the 2008 post if you click HERE and go to reply #13. Cobber. |
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Post by Roehm3108 on Dec 23, 2011 12:14:27 GMT 10
I've been wondering if there MAY be some connection between the Orfords of East Brisbane and the Orford soft drink people in Toowoomba??? I have an inkling that they were also in timber. Wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened viz a viz the Propert Family.
Ray
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Post by silverbullet on Dec 24, 2011 8:38:21 GMT 10
Thanks Cobber for linking me to that 2008 post – the Orford label described is the same as is on ours.
I had a scroll through the Franklin pictures, but couldn’t see anything exactly like our Orford in shape – although the windows look the same.
Partial pics already exist of our van on this website – pics of the (former) tow coupling under the Technical section.
Here’s our van - a 1963 Orford:
( ...well I'm bamboozled...can't seem to copy the pic successfully from Photo Bucket....will keep trying)
The gentleman we bought it off was 16 when his father bought it – made to order from a choice of plans apparently. 6’ 9” inside. An uncle fitted the cupboards.
His wife thought that Orford were making vans for the mining industry too.
Ray, apparently the owner Keith Orford had a serious car accident in the mid ‘60s and the business was really scaled down after that. Not sure about family connections but your suggestions are certainly possible….
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Post by Don Ricardo on Dec 24, 2011 19:45:47 GMT 10
G'day Silverbullet,
Good to have you join the forum and telling us about your Orford.
Regarding posting photos from Photobucket, if you haven't found them there are some instructions in the 'Forum Guidelines and Helpful Hints' section of the forum. There is also the Photobucket practice thread which might help. If you have read those and are still having hassles, if you like you can PM or email me your phone number and I will give you a ring and see if we can talk it through (after Christmas!).
Good luck. We're looking forward to hearing and seeing more about your van.
Don Ricardo
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Post by silverbullet on Feb 5, 2012 16:11:34 GMT 10
Take 2 …. Pictures of our Orford…. The van:   The original annexe:  Photos restored by Don Ricardo |
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Post by corford on Feb 10, 2014 14:30:18 GMT 10
I've been wondering if there MAY be some connection between the Orfords of East Brisbane and the Orford soft drink people in Toowoomba??? I have an inkling that they were also in timber. Wouldn't be the first time something like that has happened viz a viz the Propert Family. Ray |
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Post by Don Ricardo on Feb 10, 2014 20:59:51 GMT 10
Hi Corford, Welcome to the forum. Does the fact that your forum name is 'Corford' and that you gave Roehm3108's post a bump, mean that you have an Orford caravan or that you know something about the Orford caravan/softdrink/timber businesses? Or none of the above? We'll be interested to hear.  Don Ricardo |
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Post by shebadog on May 22, 2021 20:59:15 GMT 10
Hey everyone, anyone wanting any information regarding Orford caravans. I may be able to help you, I’m Keith Orfords step daughter. Keith was a wonderful man who built great caravans, he was taught by his Uncle Bill Woods from a very young age. He was also a cabinet maker. He was always very proud of his work and went to all extremes to turn out the best quality vans he possibly could. He had a large manufacturing business at East Brisbane and he and several of his workmen were delivering a caravan to Gin Gin one night very late in the rain and his Foreman was driving and missed a turn and hit a bridge. Luckily they hit a large pole at the beginning of the bridge because Keith’s foot was caught in the wreckage and it took hours to cut him out of the wrecked car. Had they not of hit the pole the car would of gone into the water and he would of drowned. Keith lost the sight in one eye and was unconscious in hospital for many months. His Uncle had to step in and take over the business until Keith was well enough again. Unfortunately Keith passed away 27 years ago from a heart attack at 68 years of age. If anyone has any further questions I am more than happy to help. I just today went and saw the caravan he built at The Slim Dusty Centre at Kempsey, they have restored it and it looks really great!
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Post by corford on May 22, 2021 21:07:08 GMT 10
Hello Shebadog, thank you for the information on Keith ORFORD, he was my father’s cousin
Kind regards
Corby Orford
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Post by Roehm3108 on May 23, 2021 7:14:45 GMT 10
Hello Shebadog, thank you for the information on Keith ORFORD, he was my father’s cousin Kind regards Corby Orford Is it time for a family reunion??? |
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Post by shebadog on May 23, 2021 10:11:20 GMT 10
Hello Shebadog, thank you for the information on Keith ORFORD, he was my father’s cousin Kind regards Corby Orford Is it time for a family reunion??? Oh wow, what was/is your fathers name? Keith was such a beautiful person, we all loved him dearly and still miss him very much. |
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Post by shebadog on May 23, 2021 10:15:58 GMT 10
I have an album of some of the caravans Keith built and when we get back from being away in our caravan on holidays I will upload some of them.
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Post by Don Ricardo on Sept 17, 2021 20:41:51 GMT 10
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Post by silverbullet on Aug 15, 2022 19:20:10 GMT 10
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Post by silverbullet on Aug 15, 2022 19:21:37 GMT 10
I haven't been on this site for a while - very excited to see these photos. This is the only other Orford I have seen mentioned anywhere (other than the Slim Dusty van)
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Post by silverbullet on Aug 15, 2022 19:22:27 GMT 10
I have an album of some of the caravans Keith built and when we get back from being away in our caravan on holidays I will upload some of them. |
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Post by silverbullet on Aug 15, 2022 19:25:38 GMT 10
I have a 63 Orford (likely built 62, photos above) that I've had for about 10 years. I've not been able to find out much about the company so would be very keen to see any photos/hear about the history! Happy to be contacted on email if that's easier - donna19np@gmail.com
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jul 10, 2023 22:20:43 GMT 10
Hi all, Silverbullet has sent me the following Orford advert from the 1960 Winser to post on her behalf:  (Source: K Winser, Australian Caravan and Touring Manual for 1960, 12th edition, page 149) We've seen adverts of the van in the top right hand corner, but not the van in the left hand panel or the one in the bottom right hand corner. The last mentioned one looks like it might be a larger version of Slim Dusty's 'Sunlander' Orford shown higher up this thread. Note the dolly wheel on this tandem van as well. Not sure that Cobber would appreciate the reference to Slim Dusty as 'the hillbilly singer'!
Thanks to Silverbullet for this item. We don't have a lot on Orford, so every little bit adds to the total picture. Don Ricardo
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