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Post by Don Ricardo on Jun 16, 2008 8:13:53 GMT 10
In addition to designing and building caravans in both South Australia and New South Wales from the early 30’s to the early 50’s, John Alfred Jennison was a creative and innovative engineer who tried his hand at many projects. This thread records some of his projects provided by forum contributor Jennison, who is John Jennison’s grandson.
None of the projects shown involve caravans as such, although the last project which will be featured was developed with caravanning in mind. However, the thread reflects the breadth of interest of a man who was a pioneer in the Australian caravan industry and whose name in my view deserves to be as well known - and often mentioned - as some others who are credited with initiating Australia's caravanning heritage.
Don Ricardo
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jun 16, 2008 8:15:44 GMT 10
Speaking of John Jennison, Jennison writes: “His parents died of influenza virus in 1914 … and he was 16 yrs old. He and brother George travelled south to Melbourne then Adelaide, learning his trade before returning to Sydney where he met and married my grandmother around 1921-22. My mum was born in Sydney 1923 before they (again) moved to Melbourne. According to Mum, he worked there in Geelong, she thinks at a Chevrolet vehicle assembly plant. My Uncle John was born there in 1925 before John Jennison moved (his) family to Salisbury, South Australia…My Aunt was born in Salisbury in 1927”.According to Jennison, his grandfather was a mad motorbiker even into later years, and in the mid-20's went for a motorbike holiday from Melbourne to Perth and back with his brother George. On the way back he saw a service station at Salisbury. He subsequently bought the property, and after moving his family, opened his own business, an engineering workshop and service station shown in the photograph below:  The car standing in front of the service station in the above photo is a racing car designed and built by John Jennison during his time in Salisbury. The car is shown closer up in the following photos:   John Jennison raced the car at Sellicks Beach, south of Adelaide, where regular races were held on the sand in the late 20’s:  Caption on back of photo: “The start 20 mile race at Sellicks Beach Sth Aust” Caption on back: “Panorama Sellicks Beach Car Races” General photograph of Sellicks Beach Regarding John Jennison’s racing car, Jennison comments: “My mum remembers being driven to her 1st day at school in her father’s car sitting in/on a wooden fruit box - at that stage the only passenger seat!!!! So at a guess it would be around 1927-28...Mum said he never won a race and from that he started his boat building.” |
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Post by firefighter on Jun 16, 2008 8:54:39 GMT 10
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Post by cobber on Jun 16, 2008 16:04:09 GMT 10
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Ya gotta laugh....... you're a Chev tragic without a doubt Geoff.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Have to say I love all the history being presented to us by Jennison about his grandfather, it has to go in a book ( how is the book going Jeff ? ) Cobber. |
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Post by kb3 on Jun 16, 2008 21:23:53 GMT 10
Hey Jeff
those pictures are very cool
got any more ;D
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jun 16, 2008 21:37:31 GMT 10
Hi Firefighter, What is the link between Chevs and those early van designers/manufacturers? Here's another one!  Maybe working on top class motorcars led to top class ideas? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Don Ricardo |
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Post by firefighter on Jun 16, 2008 22:22:15 GMT 10
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Post by tinnie on Jun 16, 2008 22:29:38 GMT 10
Hey F/F, The middle one has a headlight bar but nio bumper what does that make it?? Cheers, Gristy  |
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Post by Jennison on Jun 17, 2008 5:54:03 GMT 10
Hi fellas .
Yes I think that there should be some more chev pictures there . I will have a look and get cousins to do same. Firefighter, the blotter hasnn't arrived yet but I will let you know as soon as it does. Cobber I am giving a talk at the local heritage auto association meeting. Once I refine that ,and I want to talk again to richard pym just to clarify a few later points, I will post a short life story. I have put all the photos on to A4 glossys and hope to whack them on to a disc as well in chronological order. I will bring some copies of both to coledale if anyone would like one they are welcome. regards Jennison
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Post by Jennison on Jun 17, 2008 6:06:23 GMT 10
PS In reference to JAJ's trip to perth by motorcycle at one stage on the nullabor he and his brother gave up riding on the road and rode in the centre of the train tracks on the sleepers!!!! He wrote that it was smoother than the road!!! I will dig out his diaries regards Jennison
He also wrote some motor vehicle appraisals during the late 40's for a newspaper or magazine. I am not sure where they are, I saw them a long time ago. I just can't find them in the in the mayhem at mums yet!!
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jun 17, 2008 19:42:22 GMT 10
According to Jennison, his grandfather was a mad motorbiker even into later years, and in the mid-20's went for a motorbike holiday from Melbourne to Perth and back with his brother George. On the way back he saw a service station at Salisbury. He subsequently bought the property... For those of you interested, the following photo shows John Jennison and his brother camping on Sellicks Beach (SA) on their way back from Perth, before John moved from Melbourne to Salisbury to live:  Reddo will probably enjoy this one. This is one of John Jennison's motorbikes, a 2 3/4 hp Velocette:  Not sure if this is the motobike he rode to Perth and back. Maybe Jennison can tell us. (Source: photographs and information provided by Jennison.) |
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Post by Jennison on Jun 17, 2008 23:57:37 GMT 10
Hi Donricardo, I believe that by 1920 he was into Indian motorcycles. The diary I have to hand I will email to you to post . It covers a 2 or 3 week group bike ride from sydney to blue mtns and elsewhere. It really highlights the enormous difficulties of motor "vehicle" travel in those times. Once again I will check with my cousin Debbies ' photo collection. I am sure she has some old m/bike pics as well that might be fun to identify. Jennison
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2008 7:49:52 GMT 10
Hi Jennison The Velo looks like a 350 Mac. Very well built and desirable Made in England motorbike. Bottom ends are identical to the 500s and its no big deal to convert them over to 500s by swapping the barrel and piston. Same stroke. I had a 1969 Velcotte Venom Clubman a few years ago. Like a fool i sold it for around $8000 ..  they are commanding upwards of $15,000 nowadays. Thruxtonns .. which where the road going race version of the venom are bringing around $25,000. A full blown race KTT Velo is in the $800 to $100,000 range. The little 2 3/4 would be worth around 10,000 nowadays. The old fella had good taste in steeds. Indians are Ok but a real handfull to ride with left hand throttles. I followed 3 of them last weekend at a bike rally. All three riders struggled with foot clutches on take off in first gear...an aquired technique. Reddo |
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jun 18, 2008 21:46:03 GMT 10
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jun 20, 2008 22:38:42 GMT 10
Photos taken of a Jennison Pathfinder frame behind John Jennison's factory in Parraween Street, Cremorne (Sydney) in the late 1930's, also reveals an unusual looking vehicle at the rear of the frame:  It appears from the following photos that John Jennison was again trying his hand at motor car design and construction:    The wire spoked wheels of the vehicle suggest that it may have been based on the chassis of a 20's or 30's vehicle of some description. The sheen of the paint and the chrome around the grille that can be seen on the car behind the Pathfinder frame in the top photo seems to indicate that the project was developed beyond the point shown in the last photo. Looks like John Jennison may have experimented with spats as well, but abandoned that idea. Can't quite work out how you got into the car. Any ideas anyone? (Source: photographs & information provided by Jennison.) |
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Post by Jennison on Jun 21, 2008 4:44:48 GMT 10
On the original copy of the 2nd "Jenno coupe" photo , JAJ has used "white out"to paint out the front wheel arch. He must have toyed with that idea before settling on it without the front spats(as per last pic with the bluey coloured stripe ) Jennison
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Post by JBJ on Jun 21, 2008 8:58:00 GMT 10
Hi All,
By the looks of the wheels, & given the small size of the car, I reckon its probably based on an Austin 7 chassis. Heaps of "specials" were built, using the Austin as a basis. Lots of them are still around.
If you look at Jennisons car body, you can see the outline & hinges for a suicide mounted (rear hinged) door.
With the lack of design rules & over the top government controls in the years past, anyone could do what they like to cars & still be legal. Even up till the 70's & possibly later, you could do pretty well want you want to anything ( at least in NSW).
Jailbarjuice
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Post by Don Ricardo on Jun 26, 2008 23:07:40 GMT 10
[Some of this information was previously posted on the Jennison Pathfinder thread. However, some additional info and photos have been added in this post.] According to Jennison, his grandfather, John Jennison, bought a number of US Army Willys Jeeps post World War II: "He cut them in half, stretched them and rebuilt them as station wagon his dream being that people would be able to tow their vans with a 4WD family vehicle. (They look remarkably similar to the early toyota landcruisers!)"The following photos show one of John Jennison's Willys Jeep Wagons after conversion. Note that the vehicle is still left-hand drive.  John Jennison toasting his Willys Jeep Wagon:  Jennison at the wheel of one of his Willys Wagons by Jennison:  The next two photos show John Jennison in different locations with the Willys Jeep Wagon.  Comment on back: The jeep wagon with JAJ & June Wallace and Rob & Doss Sturrock plus child having met the other cars on road from Cattai Creek.  A Willys Jeep Wagon parked outside the Jennison Pathfinder factory (note the Pathfinder frame in the background):  Jennison has noted: “You might also notice that the jenno jeep featured outside the factory has rounded front guards as opposed to the "angular" shape of front guards on the other one shown.” There is also added chrome (the grille, bonnet, and windscreen), the knobby tyres have been replaced by road tyres and hub caps, and the roof has been significantly reshaped. This suggests that this vehicle was either an upgraded or a later design than the vehicles in the first group of photos. (Source: Information and photographs provided by Jennison.) |
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Post by Jennison on Aug 21, 2008 20:22:57 GMT 10
Hi all, I was talking to my cousin Debbie today. She found a box of pics with the top one a photo her brother Ian, holding the scale model of JAJs' boat, that JAJ made, to be given to his first grandson.(JAJ died before any of us grandchildren were born). She is going to go thru the box and email me what she finds along with some more bike photos
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Post by Don Ricardo on Oct 7, 2008 19:30:39 GMT 10
Posted on behalf of Jennison: Reddo and others may like to pore over this one. John Jennison jnr sitting second from the right on 52098. I will be interested to see what they are.  |
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Post by Geoff & Jude on Oct 7, 2008 20:42:28 GMT 10
not sure of the year model but he's definitely on a rudge. looks like a rudge special - they ran from 1930 to 1939.  (maybe the first 2 are rudges) geoff 'n jude |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 8, 2008 6:40:45 GMT 10
Yo I recieved this photo about 2 months back from Jennison. I replied with my thoughts . Obviuosly the first 2 are Rudges.. a very desirable bike back then and even moreso now..... Bike 3 and 4. 3 appears to be a water cooled "Scott" or similar. Large smooth single barrel with no fins to disapate heat. Although i thought the Scotts had a Sloping motor with the barrel leaning forward. Slopers where all the rage back in the 1928 to 1932 era. The pomms worked out that you could achieve a lower frame hieght hence better handling....... or so was the belief. Last bike may not be quite as desirable as the Rudges or the Scott with their big 8" Lucas King of the road headlights . Has smaller headlight and could well be a 250 or 350 BSA, Matchless, AJS or similar. Very hard to tell from what can be seen in the photo. I currently have this picture as my screen saver at work. ... It reminds me of where i should be rather than stuck in a bloody office.  Did you notice the 3 people pushing the car down the hill in the background.  Reddo |
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Post by Jennison on Oct 8, 2008 9:52:07 GMT 10
I never noticed that myself Reddo! Good spotting... regards Jennison
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Post by Don Ricardo on Nov 4, 2008 19:29:39 GMT 10
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Post by Jennison on Nov 7, 2008 4:51:33 GMT 10
some of it is s hard to follow but its worth persisting with!! regards jennison
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