Brindle Caravans (Ashfield, NSW)

[Don Ricardo]

BRINDLE CARAVANS

Manufactured by Albert Brindle
Ashfield, NSW

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On 12 April 2009, Franklin1 wrote:

I've just found a 1977 article in the newspaper archives that says:

"The Australian caravan industry commenced in the early 1930s and the earliest manufacturers included Jennison, Carapark, and Brindle in NSW, and Don caravans in Victoria."

Brindle?? Never heard of 'em...

Over to you, cobber, for an update on the Brindle name...

cheers,
Al.

[cobber]

OK Al,

Took a while but I've been working on it non stop.

From the Sydney Morning Herald 1934.
More like a camper trailer.
This is page one.


And this page two


But then in December 1939


Cobber.

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Cobber,

Well done on tracking down some info on the Brindle at last. Nice piece of detective work!

Now I don't want you to think that I'm trying to steal your glory - or suggest that your work left something to be desired (far from it, I assure you) - but I noticed that the SMH article mentioned two photos, and your post only showed one. So, I went back to source and found this:



It is a very blurry photo which doesn't tell you much at all, but it did remind me very much of something which can be seen here.

"A very strong resemblance, no?", as the continentals might say.

Just wonder if there is some link?

Also, I noted the article stated that the Brindle was soon to be produced in England. I wonder if that ever happened? A bit like taking coals to Newcastle I would have thought, but who knows. Perhaps you could enquire of your UK contacts whether they have heard of a Brindle camper trailer/van being produced or sold there?

Don Ricardo

[cobber]

By Jove Sherlock....I think you are right...... on all counts.
My work was sloppy and you have stolen my glory...

But most importantly you are right in linking the “Brindle” with the “Reo”.
Judging by the photos and the description of the “Brindle”.... “ whereupon the roof is caused to rise by means of pulleys and steel cables”.... if these two trailers are not the one and the same I'll eat my hat.

My interpretation of what the article is saying, “... and the unit is also being produced in England ” indicates the present tense to me.
I have previously asked my friend in the UK if he recognised the “Reo” and he responded in the negative, but we will try again with the additional clue.

I have to admit I didn't read the Brindle article when I posted it.... sloppy ! ...sloppy ! ....sloppy!!

Cobber.

[Don Ricardo]

It seems that Mr Albert Brindle was a patriotic chap, although his gift didn't save his company from bankruptcy later in the same year, as shown in Reply #1.

Article from The Sydney Morning Herald, Friday 3 March 1939, page 12:


(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17593232 )

It's hard to believe that one of the little Brindle camper trailers pictured in Reply #1 would have been big enough to use as a recruiting office, so this may suggest that Mr Brindle launched out into full size caravans between 1934 when he announced his camper trailer, and 1939 when he made his gift.

Whether or not this is the case will have to wait on further info.

Don Ricardo

[cobber]

In an effort to compensate for my sloppy research elsewhere in this thread I submit the following patent application dated 4th. December 1934.

The way I see it Albert Brindle is describing a system of ropes and pulleys to raise the roof and lower the sides on a camper trailer that looks very similar to the English "Rice" folding caravan that had a very similar system of ropes and pulleys to perform the same function (Patent applied for in 1930/31).. In fact the original "Rice folding" caravan was built along the same lines in 1928

So.....I think Albert Brindle might have been registering the design (with slight modifications) in Australia in order to gain copyright of it here and then went on to build the "Reo" a couple of years later.
More photos of the "Reo" and the English "Rice" caravans can be seen in the Reo thread HERE









The English "Rice" folding caravan mosaics 1930
can be seen here

Cobber.

[Don Ricardo]

G'day Cobber,

I read your post about Reo/Brindle caravans yesterday with interest. Then searching through the forum for something entirely different (as often happens) I came across a post by Malrv1 in 2010 here. His post included this photo:



Malrv1 advised that it was: "...a photo that appeared in the South Australian Austin 7 Club magazine. Not sure of the year but the Austin is a mid 1920s model."

Looking at the photo, it struck me that the caravan is a probably a Reo/Brindle. What do you think?

Malrv1 posted the photo as an attachment, and unfortunately he is no longer a forum member so we can't click on the attachment to make it larger.

Don Ricardo

[cobber]

G'day Don D,

I got an enlarged photo no worries that clearly shows the number plate, which I think ? , indicates the photo was taken in "the mother country", somebody who knows about number plates can straighten me out there please

As mentioned above the Rice caravan was first made in 1928, and continued until the start of WWII, and from photos I have seen there were a few modification to the way the ropes and pulleys worked, and also some subtle changes to the shape of the van.

This caravan certainly looks more like the English "Rice" version than our Reo/Brindle I think



Rice


Reo/Brindle



Cobber.

[shesgotthelook]

I have a teriffic English caravan magazine from 1939. In it is a story/blog titled 'Round Europe By Rice 27000 miles on the trail of freedom & adventure'

[cobber]

G'day shesgotthelook,

Thanks for posting that page, a few good photos showing how determined the British were to enjoy themselves in the pioneering days of caravanning
Some of the manufacturers did do some incredible things to convince people their caravans could go anywhere, and it would appear that the Rice was something the Austin 7 could handle

As it could be that Mr. Brindle might have possibly got his inspiration for the Brindle/Reo caravan from the Rice caravan... maybe it's probably OK to show a few more photos of the Rice

Here are a couple of more photos of "Rice" caravans stolen from this Austin 7 UK web site (an interesting read I reckon )



The Rice came in three sizes apparently and it is assumed this photo of the interior would be of the larger one.



What more do you need ?

I found a video clip of what I think is a rice caravan
m.youtube.com/watch?v=JbPx-FPMEX0


Cobber.

[shesgotthelook]

Hi Cobber, I was a bit nervous posting pics of an English rig but it does give you some background. Wouldn't it be fab to find an old Brindle Reo & fix it up? Get Austin 125 onto it I say ;D

[cobber]

Gee SGTL, don't be nervious it's all in the pursuit of knowledge.....
here is another Rice photo showing for the first time the rear of the van



Cobber.

[smiles]

Hi all

I've been following this thread with great interest since we bought our latest little folding van on the Toads n Roaches tour. We have yet to pick it up but it feels like its a more advanced version of these little beauties.

You can see how the Brindle & Rice vans took a covered wagon & adapted it till it became a van pulled by a light car but still with all the features of a canvas covered wagon. We measured our new can & it's only 5'9" wide! I noticed the rice or the brindle was only 5 ft wide! Sleep in the foetal position while on hols perhaps, just to make you appreciate home more!

Just to complicate things more... check this out!
m.gumtree.com.au/v?adId=1018245383

Once again, thanks to all you avid researchers. This is what makes this site fantastic...working out the evolution of vans in the last 90-100 years.

smiles

[cobber]

G'day smiles,

Pleased you appreciate this thread look forward to seeing photos of your toads and roaches pick up ;D

As the beds were length wise along the sides of the vans they would have been fairly comfortable I think, especially the two longer ones.

I should have mentioned the three sizes the Rice van was available in... There was a 2 berth standard...a 2 berth long standard.... and a 3 berth major.
Respectively they were....
Body length 6 ft... 8 ft.... 8 ft.
The widths closed ( excluding mud guards) were 3ft 8 in....3ft 8 in... 4 ft 7 in.
The extended widths were 7 ft 1 in...7 ft 1 in... 8 ft 4 in.
Hight closed were 5ft 3 1/2in.... 5ft 3 1/2in...5ft 8 1/2 in
Head room extended were 5 ft 8 in....5ft 8 in....6 ft.
Weights were 4 1/2cwt....5 1/2 cwt....7 1/4 cwt

They were built with a hardwood frame, panelled with treated plywood that was finished with cellulose fabric.... much the same as quoted in the article that started this thread for the Brindle caravan

The information above comes from the book "British Caravans volume 1" By Roger Ellesmere, a plurry good book for anybody interested in British caravan makes founded before WWll..... and the influence they had on how some Australian caravans developed.

Cobber.

[Don Ricardo]

Hi all,

For a number of years, on and off, we have discussed Brindle caravans,in the light of an article quoted by Fanklin1 at the top of this thread stating that Brindle was one of the earliest caravan manufacturers in NSW. Cobber has posted the results of his investigation into Brindle on this thread, but all that we have come up with thus far has been information about a folding caravan (what we might now call a folding camper trailer) which was designed and manufactured by Brindle, and seems also to have been built and sold as a Rice caravan in the UK.

And yet there is the tantalising report from 1939 (posted above) that Brindle had built a caravan to be used as a mobile recruiting office by the Australian Defence League. (It should be noted that the Australian Defence League was established by the Commonwealth Government in 1938 to assist in recruiting personnel for the various armed forces, and is totally unrelated to the Australian Defence League of today which has an entirely different purpose.) In any case it was agreed in our discussions that it seemed unlikely that a folding caravan would be suitable for use as a mobile recruiting office, raising the possibility that Brindle also built full size caravans...

It seems that our supposition back in 2011 was on the money. Following are some photos of a Brindle caravan from the State Library of New South Wales archives:






(Source: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy ACP Magazines Ltd acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=1114919# )

The photos show the Brindle to be fitted out in a very sumptuous manner with some pretty high quality fittings. Even though polished wood was the usual thing in 1930's caravans, the interior of this van seems to be a cut above almost anything else. Note also the unusual tow coupling, which can just be made out in the photo - no A-frame apparently, just a single pole, and quite short at that.

It's quite exciting to find some evidence of Brindle's caravan building activities. The photos just show what's there to be found if we keep digging!

Don Ricardo

[cobber]

G'day Don R,

Well, that is quite a step up from the little old folding trailer that Mr. Brindle started out with isn't it and it's something Rice caravans in the UK never managed to achieve.

I would not dare to belittle his achievement by suggesting this 1937 van could be based on another English design but ...... lantern roof , sumptuous interior , worth looking into I reckon

Who would trash a van of this quality ? it must be hiding out there somewhere, let's find it

Cobber.

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Cobber,

The Brindle van is very English looking isn't it, but then a number of the vans built in Australia in the 30's seem to have followed the English style.

Given the apparent connection between the Brindle and the Rice folding caravans, perhaps Mr Brindle had some links with the English caravan scene which may then have influenced the design of his full-size caravans?

Do you notice the stove and what appear to be double sinks/wash basins?

Don Ricardo

[griffin]

Hi Don

That is certainly a classy van, nice to see the State Library is continually adding items to their site to be found and enjoyed.

Mr Brindle seems to have gone ahead in leaps and bounds from his little collapsible. I found pictures of his recruiting van on Trove a while back, it was newsworthy enough at the time to make several papers around the country but the attached photo is the best quality one.
Brindle 4 - Goulburn Evening Penny Post 9-3-1939 by viva gt, on Flickr

It appears to be fairly box like van with a bay style window at the front, maybe it's the rear, and there is a canvas awning which seems to be folded back over the roof of the van. Some information about the van with it's fold down side and the fact that it was donated by Mr. Brindle (I wonder if that is him with Hughes in the photo?) was published in the Sydney Morning Herald on 3 March, 1939, previously posted by Cobber, and in all it seems it was a big occasion.

Hopefully it will all become clear in time.

George

[Don Ricardo]

Hi Griffin,

Thanks for posting that article. It does raise some questions though, doesn't it? The recruiting caravan looks a whole lot less sophisticated and stylish that the van I posted photos of, doesn't it?

Pity we can't sit Mr Brindle down to ask him a few questions about what he got up to back in the day...

Don Ricardo

[Don Ricardo]

Drawing of a Brindle & Cooper folding caravan used to illustrate an article on caravanning published in the Sydney Daily Telegraph on Friday, 2 December 1936 (page 15):


(Source: National Library of Australia nla.gov.au/nla.news-article246969556 )

The full article can be found here.

Note that in this case the folding caravan is identified as 'Brindle & Cooper' rather than just 'Brindle'.

Don Ricardo