A consolidated history of Safetee Caravanettes and CaravansHi again Caravan History Tragics.
This is another long post, but hopefully will be of interest to some Forum members.
The post sets out the history of the caravans and caravanettes produced by
Safetee Trailing Units (Safetee). The information is based on some research I've done over several weeks into Safetee, and the possible links with the camping vehicles produced by
Sportsman Trailing Equipment. Both businesses were operating geographically close to each other in the Melbourne southeast bayside suburbs over a similar time frame. In order to make the history easier and more coherent to follow, I will use some images that have already been posted higher up this thread by others, rather than just giving readers a link to another post on the thread.
Safetee camping vehicles were produced by
Ernest Gregory White, who was born on 1 November 1909 in New Zealand and died on 21 October 1987. The Victorian Electoral Rolls tell us that in 1949 White was living at 193 Point Nepean Road, Aspendale. Then according to the rolls, in 1954 he was residing at 34 Marriott Street, Parkdale, and from 1948 to at least 1977 his home was at 35 Blackwood Avenue, Mentone. In the Electoral Rolls he is variously listed as a builder (1943 and 1949), woodworker (1954) and manager (1958 onwards). White served with the RAAF during World War II (thanks to
Mysafetee for alerting me to this last fact).
1950The first documented evidence we have of White's involvement in the caravan industry is a trio of items which appeared in the 1950 edition of Winser's
Caravan and Touring in Australia:
(Source: K Winser, Caravan and Touring in Australia, No 3, 1950, pages 75, 76 & 111)
In 1950 Safetee was offering a 7 ft x 4 ft 9 in trailer and the 10 ft 6 in x 4 ft 9 in Safetee Junior caravan. There is no mention of caravanettes in these items.
Safetee Trailing Units address is shown as 34 Marriott Street, Parkdale, which we know from the Electoral Rolls was White's place of residence at that point. This suggests that he was building his camping vehicles and trailers in his back yard.
A significant feature of the Safetee Junior caravan is that it involved an 'outboard wheel' design, ie the wheels were located outside the body instead of being located in wheel wells within the body. This probably reflects the fact that the caravan utilised Safetee's trailer chassis, but it also meant that the van body was quite narrow - only 4 ft 9 in wide. While the 'outboard wheel' design was very commonly used by the majority of commercial caravanette manufacturers and home builders from the 30's to the 50's, the Safetee Junior is the only full height caravan I am aware of that used that design.
On Saturday, 27 May 1950, White advertised in the Melbourne Age (page 35) for a 'lad, 16 to 18 years' to assist with the 'prefabrication and assembly' of caravans. This indicates that White apparently had enough work at that stage to employ at least two people:
(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206227835 )
1951
The first mention of Safetee caravanettes that we can find is in an advert in the Age on Saturday, 20 January 1951 (page 18) when the business announced 'new designs, new models'. Although no doubt the caravanettes had been in development for at least several months prior to the advert:
Further adverts published in the Age on Wednesday, 21 March 1951 (page 23) tell us that two caravanette models were available, weighing 3.25 cwt and 5 cwt respectively:
(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206381647 )
The following advert from an unknown publication was printed at the time of the Melbourne Jubilee International Motor Show, held in the Royal Exhibition Buildings in Carlton in April 1951, and provides further information on the two models of caravanettes: the 3.25 cwt model was the Hi-Speed and the 5 cwt model the Minor:
The above adverts from the Age on 21 March and the Motor Show advert provide the information that Safetee Trailing Units was now located at 118 Balcombe Parade, Mentone, although the after hours address was still 34 Marriott Street. This seems to indicate that Ernest White had moved the construction of his caravans and trailers away from his backyard to another premises, presumably a workshop or small factory. Balcombe Parade seems now to have been renamed Balcombe Road, and number 118 (assuming the old numbering has been retained) is now a small shop located in the Mentone shopping strip close to the Mentone station.
On Wednesday, 28 March 1951 the
Dandenong Journal (page 9) carried an article reporting on a 2,130 mile round return trip to Sydney from Dandenong (then a provincial town, but now a southeastern suburb of Melbourne) in a Renault 760 (Renault 4CV) towing a 'Saftee' Minor 5 cwt caravanette. The focus in the report was the performance of the Renault, but the implication seems to be that towing the Safetee was no big deal even in a quite small, 7.5 hp vehicle. The touring party consisted of four adults and two children which must have been quite a squeeze in the little Renault as well as the two-berth caravanette:
(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222351384 )
Incidentally, the typographical error in the article referring to Safetee as 'Saftee' was a relatively common occurrence at the time, together with substituting 'Trailer' for 'Trailing' in the business name 'Safetee Trailing Units'. These errors complicate library searches for information on Safetee.
In addition to the two models of caravanette, Safetee continued to produce its caravans. The following advert from the 1951/52 edition of the Winser Australian Caravan and Touring indicates that there were 2, 3 and 4-berth caravans available. Surely that means that Safetee was building something larger than its Junior 10 ft 6 in caravan? It is difficult to imagine how that could provide space for four people because of its narrow width.
(Source: K Winser, Australian Caravans and Touring, Book 4, 1951-52, page 89)
1952
In early 1952, Safetee was successful in tendering for the provision of an unknown number of caravans to the Commonwealth Department of Supply, as recorded in the Commonwealth Gazette on 6 March 1952 (No 20, page 1,846):
Based on the 1950 price of the Safetee Junior caravan (£245) the tender price represents about nine caravans, and at the 1953 price of the later Safetee Eleven model (£525) the tender price represents about four caravans.
An advert placed in the
Age on Saturday, 22 March 1952 (page 22) tells us that the Safetee caravanette range of models had increased to three, weighing in at - 3.25, 5.25 and 6 cwt. Presumably the 5.25 cwt model was the existing Minor (up from 5 cwt) and the new model was the 6 cwt :
(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206200516 )
On Wednesday, 5 November 1952 the Dandenong Journal (page 17) carried an advert for Saunders Sales and Service in the town of Dandenong, promoting both the Renault 750 Saloon and the (Safetee) Luxelite caravanette. It seems likely that Saunders may have been behind the tour to Sydney and return by the Renault 760 (the earlier name for the Renault 750) towing a Safetee caravanette reported in the newspaper concerned in March 1951. It is interesting to note that the little Renault cost £262, only £2 more than the Luxelite at £260:
(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222362628 )
1953
Two items from the 1953 edition of Winser's Caravans and Touring in Australia tells us more about the Luxelite that was a new addition to the Safetee range, and was 9 ft 2in x 5 ft 10 in, and 6.25 cwt in weight:
(Source: K Winser, Caravans and Touring In Australia, Book 5, 1953, page 112)
1954
An advert for Safetee caravans, caravanettes and trailers 'built to suit any car' printed in the Age on Saturday, 30 January 1954 (page 22), also reveals that the Safetee Trailing Units business had relocated from Balcombe Road, Mentone to 10 Alvena Street, Mentone. We know from when the property was sold (see below) that it was a factory in an industrial area:
(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206088277 )
On Wednesday, 29 September 1954 the Argus published an advert (page 13) urging visitors to the Caravan Show - held from 30 September to 1 October - to 'be sure to see' Safetee Trailing Units display:
(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23439688 )
Interestingly, the advert above lists three camping vehicles, as well as trailers:
- 11-10-2 two-berth caravan - was this the Safetee Eleven caravan?
- Luxelite caravanette - we know which one this was
- Trailervan caravanette - was this another name for the Safetee Hi-speed or Minor, or something else?
The advert also refers to a Camber Cars being Safetee's 'Sole Victoria Distributor'.
On 9 October 1954, Safetee advertised in the Age for body builders, assemblers and cabinet makers 'for caravan construction':
(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article210672380 )
1955On Tuesday, 22 March 1955 an advert in the Age (page 15) announced the 'new "Safetee Sports Minor":
There are a couple of interesting points about this advert. One is that it seems to indicate that the Sports Minor was new to Safetee's range of models in 1955. But it would be interesting to know whether the Safetee Minor was the renamed 'Trailervan'? The latter is certainly not a very catchy name, and it would be fascinating to know whether Safetee adopted the 'Sports Minor' name when its competitor, Sportsman, began to wind down in mid-1955. Perhaps Safetee was the recipient or purchaser of some of the 'Sportsman' cast metal badges which were then adapted by removing 'man' at the end? That would be a real example of 'badge engineering'! There's more on the connection between Safetee and Sportsman in the Sportsman history
here.
The second interesting point is that Safetee presented a display at the 1955 Melbourne Motor Show held in March 1955, which is the reference to 'See in the caravan section' in the above advert, and is also reflected in the inclusion of Safetee's name in the info about the Motor Show below (see highlighted area) which was printed in the same edition of the Age on 22 March as the Safetee advert (page 14):
This photo of the kitchenette of the Safetee Sports Minor on display at the 1955 Motor Show was posted by
Humpty2 here on 24 July 2010. The source of the photo was not recorded:
The third interesting, and perhaps most significant point is that the address shown for Safetee in the Sports Minor advert on 22 March was 34 Marriott Street, Parkdale, not Alvena Street, Mentone. As we have noted, Marriott Street was Ernest White's own place of residence. The reason for this change of address is revealed in the following advert placed in the Argus on Wednesday, 9 March 1955 (page 18) advising that the Safetee property at 10 Alvena Street, Mentone was to be auctioned that day with 'vacant possession':
(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71637642 )
Also important to note is that the auction was to be conducted by the auctioneers Phillips & Nicholson. One of the auctioneers working for this firm (and perhaps a senior member) was Reginald Nicholson, brother of Eric Nicholson who was the proprietor of Sportsman Trailing Equipment.
We do not know whether Ernest White owned the Alvena Street property or just rented it, but either way Safetee was vacating the premises. As it turned out, the auction on 9 March was not successful and the property was passed in. It was then advertised for private sale on 10 March, and presumably sold thereafter.
An advert appearing in the Argus on Saturday, 21 May 1955 (page 28) offered a few odd bits and pieces for sale from 10 Alvena Street - a heavy duty sewing machine and a convertible boat/box trailer for sale at '£50 or offer'. This looks like a business selling off a few items that were no longer needed, or needed to be removed asap:
(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71883807 )
1956
Despite having had to vacate Alvena Street, it seems as if Ernest White was able to continue in business at some level because adverts referring to 34 Marriott Street continued until March 1956.
The 1956 edition of Winser's Australian Caravan & Touring Manual included this item which featured the Sports Minor:
(Source: Keith Winser, Australian Caravan & Touring Manual for 1956, p 127 & 83)
This information tells us that the Sports Minor measured 8 ft 6 in x 6 ft 10 in (the width would include the mudguards) and weighed in at 6.5 cwt. This compares to the Luxelite which was longer at 9 ft 2 in, narrower at 5 ft 10 in, and weighed in at 6.25 cwt.
The last advert I can find for Safetee was published in the Age on Saturday, 17 March 1956 (page 32):
We do not know when Safetee closed for business, but we do know that Ernest White must have run into financial trouble and was then declared bankrupt in 1956, and we can speculate that perhaps financial issues were even the reason for moving his business from Alvena Street back to his home in Marriott Street in mid 1955, and the sale of the Alvena Street property (if White owned it). Presumably being declared bankrupt would have brought White's caravan building business to an end, even if it had not already closed. His bankruptcy case was recorded in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (No 51), page 2,768 of Thursday, 6 September 1956:
(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article232988631 )
White appears to have continued as a bankrupt until he was discharged on 14 November 1966, as recorded in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (No 100), page 6,083 of Thursday, 1 December 1966
(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article241039405 )
Conclusion
So what have we learnt from the history of Safetee Training Units set out above?
Years of operation: The evidence available seems to indicate that Ernest White's Safetee business was only in existence for about six years. The documentation we have from advertisements, etc, suggests that Safetee was operating from 1950 to 1956, but probably it was in operation for at least a few months before it began advertising, so perhaps 1949 to 1956.
The build date of Mysafetee's Safetee Sports Minor: Higher up this thread forum member Mysafetee posted that she had been told that her Safetee Sports Minor was built in 1948. This seems almost certainly not correct for two reasons. First, it appears that Safetee was not in existence in 1948. and in any case only started building caravanettes in 1950. Second, and more significantly, the documents we have state that the Sports Minor was a new model in 1955. This would seem to indicate that Mysafetee's Sports Minor was built in either 1955 or 1956 before Safetee wound up.
Connection between Safetee Trailing Units and Sportsman Trailing Equipment: No documentation has been discovered that indicates that there was a formal, legal or structural link between Safetee and Sportsman. However there was a personal link between Ernest White of Safetee and Eric Nicholson, proprietor of Sportsman, which suggests that the two men (and their families?) cooperated together at some level. Given this link it seems quite possible that the two businesses may have shared some components used to build their respective caravans and caravanettes. The personal link between White and Nicholson is explored more fully in the history of Sportsman
here.
I will look forward to reading responses to the above history and to any additional information anyone may be able to provide.
Acknowledgement: The biographical information about Ernest Gregory White was obtained from Ancestry.com
Don Ricardo
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