Our Touring Past

Rowvan Caravans.
William St. York. South Australia.

See also Farrell Caravans and Playtime Caravans

I have been in contact with the original builder of thses caravans, and he and his wife have given me a very detailed history of these vans.

Bill and Mary started constructing these unusual little vans in their back shed in 1949 and as each one was completed it was put on the front yard for sale. They built 3 different models a 10'6, 12' and a 15' not including a one off 22' van they built in 1956.

Then in 1952 a prospective purchaser was looking at the van but he wanted his wife to see it first . As his car didn't have a towbar. John and Mary packed up the kids and set off on a 4 hour drive to show the wife. While on the way they had an accident and sat beside the road while waiting for a tow truck, as they were waiting 2 gentleman stopped to have a look at the caravan and a roadside agreement to supply George Lewin of Playtime caravans with 6 per week.

As their back yard business had suddenly expanded it was necessary to contract out their caravan manufacture to meet demand. Over the next few years the business grew and they were selling vans "unbranded" As long as they were paid for the van they weren't too worried about whose name it had on it, which explains why the same vans were branded Rowvan, Playtime and Farrell. As the vans were completed Mary would hook up the van and tow it to the selling agents yard with her 1936 Chevrolet.

In 1958 they took in a partner and moved into a new workshop, after which they left the business and moved to Queensland and managed a caravan park at the Coloured Sands.

I was emailed these photos by Julie last year of her Rowvan that she had rescued and was well on her way to restoring it.

A 2005 article on a Rowvan that had been rescued by Male's Caravans, with a insert photo of Bill and Mary Rowe.

I actuall found this article 6 months ago, then lost it in a pile of other caravan magazines. But thanks to my old mate Al, he pointed me in the right direction.

1950's vintage caravan brochure for Playtime Caravans.

As Playtime caravans were built by Bill and Mary who built Rowvans its interesting to note that on page 3 of the brochure the bottom photo shows that the exterior of Playtime caravans were clad in Marine bonded ply, where our Rowvan of similar vintage is clad in masonite. I wonder if this was something specified by the Playtime agents or if they were just built from what was available.

This Keith Odgers "Rowvan Special" 12' 6"van (Keith Odgers purchased the Rowvan name after Bill and Mary Rowe sold the business to him after a failed partnership.) was recently listed for sale as a 1958 but it may be a little younger than that at around 1960 - 61 iam thinking.

An original Rowvan photo sent in from Daryl Graham Paynter