Post by Franklin1 on Jul 20, 2009 11:24:53 GMT 10
G'day All, wasn't sure where to post this on the forum, but didn't want it 'buried' in the General section...
I hit the Buy-it-now button on that website for a caravan mattress last Friday. Hooked up the trailer on Sunday to go visit some rellos in outer western Sydney, and then a further 25kms to the farm where the mattress was. Met up with Farmer Peter and he asks what I'm using the mattress for. I start talking about old caravans...restoration...bondwood...etc. He lights up and tells me stories about him and his dad building caravans at home back in the '50s. First one was on an old chassis they salvaged from a really old van...wooden spoke wheels. Got a factory (he said Jennison, but I think he meant Supalite) in Newtown in Sydney to make him some new sides up with the bent timber frames. No windows or door cut-outs, just the blank sides and they'll do the cut-outs at home. Took the sides home and put 'em on back-to-front by mistake
. Somebody came along after the van was finished, liked it and bought it 
Two other vans made after that...just the son and his Dad whiling away in their spare time. He mentioned the name John Darlington (of Millard fame) and knew him when Darlington had a furniture business in Gladesville [Sydney] before Millard started (...I never discovered that in my research...).
Marriage...kids...the farm...all put mucking around with caravans out of the picture until recently. He'd bought a 1976 Viscount in recent years and was venturing out when he could. Wondering if he should buy one of the latest vans, but also thinking what more is he likely to get that the '76 Viscount didn't already give him
A very interesting half-hour yarn...and all because of a mattress.
Driving back to the rellos from the farm, I'm thinking...These old fellas with great stories are getting thinner on the ground each year.
Maybe there should be a national "Talk to an old fella" Day!
cheers,
Al.
I hit the Buy-it-now button on that website for a caravan mattress last Friday. Hooked up the trailer on Sunday to go visit some rellos in outer western Sydney, and then a further 25kms to the farm where the mattress was. Met up with Farmer Peter and he asks what I'm using the mattress for. I start talking about old caravans...restoration...bondwood...etc. He lights up and tells me stories about him and his dad building caravans at home back in the '50s. First one was on an old chassis they salvaged from a really old van...wooden spoke wheels. Got a factory (he said Jennison, but I think he meant Supalite) in Newtown in Sydney to make him some new sides up with the bent timber frames. No windows or door cut-outs, just the blank sides and they'll do the cut-outs at home. Took the sides home and put 'em on back-to-front by mistake
. Somebody came along after the van was finished, liked it and bought it 
Two other vans made after that...just the son and his Dad whiling away in their spare time. He mentioned the name John Darlington (of Millard fame) and knew him when Darlington had a furniture business in Gladesville [Sydney] before Millard started (...I never discovered that in my research...).
Marriage...kids...the farm...all put mucking around with caravans out of the picture until recently. He'd bought a 1976 Viscount in recent years and was venturing out when he could. Wondering if he should buy one of the latest vans, but also thinking what more is he likely to get that the '76 Viscount didn't already give him
A very interesting half-hour yarn...and all because of a mattress.
Driving back to the rellos from the farm, I'm thinking...These old fellas with great stories are getting thinner on the ground each year.
Maybe there should be a national "Talk to an old fella" Day!
cheers,
Al.