wheels

The Model T was introduced to the world in 1908. Henry Ford wanted the Model T to be affordable, simple to operate, and durable. The vehicle was one of the first mass-production vehicles, allowing Ford to achieve his aim of manufacturing the universal car. The Model T was first tested by Henry Ford himself who took the vehicle on a hunting trip to Wisconsin and northern Michigan. The Model T became famous for the stunts it could perform including climbing the stairs of the Tennessee State Capitol and reaching the top of Pikes Peak. After the test of his own product, the vehicle was shipped to its first customer on October 1, 1908. A common myth is that all model T’s were black. While Henry Ford did say “Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it’s black,” the policy was in place solely for efficiency and uniformity. The car was only offered in black from 1914-to 1925, however before and after that various models of the vehicle could be purchased in a variety of colors including blue, red, grey, and green. The vehicle also became famous for its unique nickname—Tin Lizzie. There are various accounts of how this nickname was acquired by the Model T. Possible origins include the popularity of the female name “Lizzie” during that period to a famous Model T racecar named Old Liz. Despite the popularity of the nickname Tin Lizzie, the Model T had dozens of nicknames. Source: corporate.ford.com/articles/history/the-model-t.html#:~:t....

According to Don Ricardo from Vintage Caravan Forum and in relation to the photo: "The fact that the car was powered by a gas producer, seems to confirm that the photo is likely to have been taken during World War II, but the T-model Ford is from the '20s or earlier, and the style of the caravan and the wooden spoked wheels suggest that the caravan is also likely to have been built in the '20s. I haven't been able to find out anything about James Whalley & Son who built the van, except that a Whalley family - including at least two generations of James Whalleys - were merchants on the Sunshine Coast around Nambour and Maroochydore. The Whalley owned a sawmill in Nambour in the 1910s, and a hardware store, general store, petrol station, and Ford dealership at various points in the 20s and 30s. So it could be that James Whalley & Son was connected to the Whalley merchant family." Source: vintagecaravans.proboards.com/thread/16163/james-whalley-...

History notes Between the wars rail travel and hotel accommodation were too expensive for the average Australian family. Motoring made holidays possible for a much larger percentage of the population. The 'motor gypsies', as they were called, cooked on the roadside and camped in tents. The first camping ground for traveling motorists was established at Woodend in Victoria in 1924. Permanent sleeping cabins soon began to appear on the camping grounds, to be followed by motels ("motor hotels"), caravan parks, and roadside eateries. Homemade caravans, which first appeared in the 1920s, made it possible to have touring holidays that were cheaper than staying at motels and more comfortable than in tents. With the upgrading of roads, local councils built caravan parks at beach resorts and tourist towns. The caravan industry really took off after the Don firm in Victoria began making caravans as a backyard business in 1934. By the early 1950s, many other caravan companies emerged including Viscount and Millard in New South Wales, Coronet and Franklin in Victoria, Chesney in Queensland, and Tru-Line in Western Australia. The competition was keen and the original plywood vans soon disappeared as sleek aluminum-clad models took over. Interiors became more sophisticated, with iceboxes and two-burner Shellite or kerosene stoves giving way to gas and electric refrigerators and ovens. Electric lighting quickly became standard and the caravans got larger. Local commercial production peaked in the mid-1970s. Compact caravans developed from the late 1970s with companies such as Windsor introducing the 'pop-top' to capitalize on interior space. Caravanning went through a decline for some years after that but in recent times has gained in popularity, with large numbers of 'grey nomads' (retired baby boomers) now leisurely touring the country." Source: vintagecaravans.proboards.com/thread/1991/caravan-history...

July 1940 in Brisbane alone there were six different organisations providing women with war-related training, the largest of which was the Queensland-based Women's National Emergency Legion. The federal government and military did not initially support women being trained to serve in the armed forces, however, and these organisations were not taken seriously by the general public. Many of these women were trained to undertake skilled work in traditionally male occupations in order to free servicemen for operational service. Women were also encouraged to work in industry and volunteer for air raid precautions duties or clubs for Australian and Allied servicemen. The female branches of the military were disbanded after the war. Source: www.wikiwand.com/en/Australian_women_during_World_War_II