Trevan Ford, Lismore, NSW, Australia 1910-2010
The Beginning Photo: First Trevan Garage 1910-1912
From the time RH Trevan (RH) and Stan Harrison arrived in Lismore in late 1910 with their Ford Laundlette, it was all go in the taxi hire business. In RH’s words, “we raised more dust in a week going around the block than the town had seen in its lifetime. We generally made a nuisance of ourselves and should have been run in. But we made ‘good money’, a bob [slang for one shilling/10¢] a trip while we lasted.
In 1910, Lismore’s population was approximately three thousand, with one garage servicing five motor buggies, eight motorcars and two motorbikes. RH felt the time was right to also get into the motor repair business. He proceeded to rent from agents, Macgregor Dunn, the rear portion of a building overlooking the river at the northern end of Molesworth Street, next to the original Northern Star office.
The business commenced trading as RH Trevan Motor Engineers and it could be said RH made his first motorcar sale by accident. This came about from a fire that burnt local architect, Colonel Board’s motor buggy to the ground after RH had been doing some servicing on it. Even though the Colonel was upset with his loss, he requested RH to get him one of those new fangled Model T Fords. This car came through the NSW vehicle importer and distributors, Davies & Fehon, who had recently opened a branch in Lismore to service the northern end of NSW. Prior to Davies & Fehon’s arrival in Lismore, RH had previously worked with them for a short period in Sydney, to learn more about motorcars.
At the age of twenty-six, RH’s philosophy was, ‘If you’re stationary, you’re going backwards.’ So, to make the next advancement with the business, he brought in a partner to help with financing and expansion. With Jeremiah Mahoney as a partner, they began trading as Trevan & Mahoney from an old horse stable situated down a lane, now a walkway, on the northern side of Woodlark Street, beside Browns Creek and now covered in as a car park.
It was not the best of buildings but, in RH’s words, it did have one redeeming feature, ”At the end of the day it was fashionable to sweep all the leftover rubbish straight out the back into Brown’s Creek.”
A legacy of Trevans’ Molesworth Street garage remained with this building long after RH had moved on. It was said a large hole in the roof was caused when leaking gas from an acetylene-welding bottle was ignited by the building’s exposed gas flame lighting system.
Many advertisements in the papers of 1912 stated that Trevan & Mahoney were now the oldest established motor engineers in Lismore. The enterprise had made great strides in such a short time and was capable of doing the work of gear cutting, case hardening and welding. They also advertised as agents for Overland cars and Barnet glass tyres. As for vehicle sales, they generally procured the selected type of vehicle for the client from distributors in Sydney. But in most cases it was generally the Model T Ford, which came by boat from the importers, Davies & Fehon. One of the firm’s truck sales was a big Fiat to the Nimbin firm of Northern Dairy Co-Op, the forerunner to Norco Co-Op, in 1912.
RH was responsible for many firsts in Lismore. One of these accomplishments was the installation of an engine from Mr Wicks’ old motor buggy, to drive a generator in his jewellery store in Woodlark Street. It was the first store in Lismore to have electric lighting and it was said the generator had enough current to also supply electricity through overhead wires to Somerville’s Butcher Shop on the northern side of Woodlark Street. Another innovation many people benefited from came about by RH replacing the local Diggers Theatre’s two-cylinder engine with a smoother running three-cylinder one, to help ease the flickering of the films.
RH’s installation of Lismore’s first petrol bowser got off to an eventful start when it was found that the one hundred cases, or 450 litres, of fuel that had been tipped down the filling hole, had soaked into the surrounding soil, because of the filler pipe being incorrectly connected to the tank.
In 1913, Trevan & Mahoney registered a new Studebaker Tourer as a hire car. This was not only a better form of transportation than Lismore’s many horse drawn cabs but it also allowed people to say that they had actually ridden in a car, still a novelty at the time.
In the same year, RH employed Cecil Partridge as a mechanic. Cecil stayed with the Lismore firm until he was transferred to the Murwillumbah branch in 1919, remaining there until leaving to start the Partridge and Walker Garage in Murwillumbah, in the late thirties.
Davies & Fehon, the NSW Ford vehicle distributors, closed their outlet in Lismore in late 1913 and the Josh Hewitson Motor Garage in Keen Street purchased all of Davies & Fehon Ford parts, together with tools, two new floor stock Model Ts and the Ford selling rights in the area. It possibly could be said that this move by Davies & Fehon further aggravated the poor relationship that had built up between RH and the distributor.
It is recorded that RH contacted Ford in Detroit regarding directly importing the Model Ts. He was advised that he would have to deal with Ford Canada, as they were now the world export plant for right-hand drive cars. Apparently an agreement was made between them to bypass Davies & Fehon with his stock orders. The 1923 section of the Ford Motor Company’s archives contains a letter explaining the reasons behind RH’s dislike of Davies & Fehon.
Davies & Fehon and Hewitson’s arrangement only lasted for eighteen months, after which Josh Hewitson took up the Dodge franchise. RH was again given the Ford sales rights to the territory, which stretched from Tweed Heads, down to near Grafton and inland to Tenterfield.
Over this 1910–1916 period, RH had established a regular clientele from his Ford sales, some of whose descendants are still trading with Trevans to this day. This clientele was to put him in a good position to go out on his own when, in 1916, the partnership of Trevan & Mahoney suddenly dissolved at the local racecourse, after RH found to his disgust that the firm’s money was finding its way onto racehorse betting through his partner.
Photo below: 1911-1913, Davies & Fehon Motors, (Lismore branch) Ford Distributors in NSW.
In 1910, Lismore’s population was approximately three thousand, with one garage servicing five motor buggies, eight motorcars and two motorbikes. RH felt the time was right to also get into the motor repair business. He proceeded to rent from agents, Macgregor Dunn, the rear portion of a building overlooking the river at the northern end of Molesworth Street, next to the original Northern Star office.
The business commenced trading as RH Trevan Motor Engineers and it could be said RH made his first motorcar sale by accident. This came about from a fire that burnt local architect, Colonel Board’s motor buggy to the ground after RH had been doing some servicing on it. Even though the Colonel was upset with his loss, he requested RH to get him one of those new fangled Model T Fords. This car came through the NSW vehicle importer and distributors, Davies & Fehon, who had recently opened a branch in Lismore to service the northern end of NSW. Prior to Davies & Fehon’s arrival in Lismore, RH had previously worked with them for a short period in Sydney, to learn more about motorcars.
At the age of twenty-six, RH’s philosophy was, ‘If you’re stationary, you’re going backwards.’ So, to make the next advancement with the business, he brought in a partner to help with financing and expansion. With Jeremiah Mahoney as a partner, they began trading as Trevan & Mahoney from an old horse stable situated down a lane, now a walkway, on the northern side of Woodlark Street, beside Browns Creek and now covered in as a car park.
It was not the best of buildings but, in RH’s words, it did have one redeeming feature, ”At the end of the day it was fashionable to sweep all the leftover rubbish straight out the back into Brown’s Creek.”
A legacy of Trevans’ Molesworth Street garage remained with this building long after RH had moved on. It was said a large hole in the roof was caused when leaking gas from an acetylene-welding bottle was ignited by the building’s exposed gas flame lighting system.
Many advertisements in the papers of 1912 stated that Trevan & Mahoney were now the oldest established motor engineers in Lismore. The enterprise had made great strides in such a short time and was capable of doing the work of gear cutting, case hardening and welding. They also advertised as agents for Overland cars and Barnet glass tyres. As for vehicle sales, they generally procured the selected type of vehicle for the client from distributors in Sydney. But in most cases it was generally the Model T Ford, which came by boat from the importers, Davies & Fehon. One of the firm’s truck sales was a big Fiat to the Nimbin firm of Northern Dairy Co-Op, the forerunner to Norco Co-Op, in 1912.
RH was responsible for many firsts in Lismore. One of these accomplishments was the installation of an engine from Mr Wicks’ old motor buggy, to drive a generator in his jewellery store in Woodlark Street. It was the first store in Lismore to have electric lighting and it was said the generator had enough current to also supply electricity through overhead wires to Somerville’s Butcher Shop on the northern side of Woodlark Street. Another innovation many people benefited from came about by RH replacing the local Diggers Theatre’s two-cylinder engine with a smoother running three-cylinder one, to help ease the flickering of the films.
RH’s installation of Lismore’s first petrol bowser got off to an eventful start when it was found that the one hundred cases, or 450 litres, of fuel that had been tipped down the filling hole, had soaked into the surrounding soil, because of the filler pipe being incorrectly connected to the tank.
In 1913, Trevan & Mahoney registered a new Studebaker Tourer as a hire car. This was not only a better form of transportation than Lismore’s many horse drawn cabs but it also allowed people to say that they had actually ridden in a car, still a novelty at the time.
In the same year, RH employed Cecil Partridge as a mechanic. Cecil stayed with the Lismore firm until he was transferred to the Murwillumbah branch in 1919, remaining there until leaving to start the Partridge and Walker Garage in Murwillumbah, in the late thirties.
Davies & Fehon, the NSW Ford vehicle distributors, closed their outlet in Lismore in late 1913 and the Josh Hewitson Motor Garage in Keen Street purchased all of Davies & Fehon Ford parts, together with tools, two new floor stock Model Ts and the Ford selling rights in the area. It possibly could be said that this move by Davies & Fehon further aggravated the poor relationship that had built up between RH and the distributor.
It is recorded that RH contacted Ford in Detroit regarding directly importing the Model Ts. He was advised that he would have to deal with Ford Canada, as they were now the world export plant for right-hand drive cars. Apparently an agreement was made between them to bypass Davies & Fehon with his stock orders. The 1923 section of the Ford Motor Company’s archives contains a letter explaining the reasons behind RH’s dislike of Davies & Fehon.
Davies & Fehon and Hewitson’s arrangement only lasted for eighteen months, after which Josh Hewitson took up the Dodge franchise. RH was again given the Ford sales rights to the territory, which stretched from Tweed Heads, down to near Grafton and inland to Tenterfield.
Over this 1910–1916 period, RH had established a regular clientele from his Ford sales, some of whose descendants are still trading with Trevans to this day. This clientele was to put him in a good position to go out on his own when, in 1916, the partnership of Trevan & Mahoney suddenly dissolved at the local racecourse, after RH found to his disgust that the firm’s money was finding its way onto racehorse betting through his partner.
Photo below: 1911-1913, Davies & Fehon Motors, (Lismore branch) Ford Distributors in NSW.
A New Start -1916
With a new start, RH purchased an old skating rink building in Molesworth Street, opposite the then Council Chambers building, and began trading again as RH Trevan Motor Engineers.
The old skating rink was an ideal size and had rear access into Carrington Street. The main fault was its wooden floor which, in later years, became oil-soaked and continually needed to be patched, as vehicles or car jacks pushed holes through it. As business progressed, Joe Anderson was employed as a salesman to sell the Model T cars and trucks and later the Irish-built Fordson tractor, which was planned to be released onto the market in Australia in 1918. This tractor became an instant success with farmers but caused mechanics many headaches with its poorly designed gearbox. As RH described to Ford, “ it was a case of shovelling the gears out by the spadeful”. The later models, built in Dagenham in the United Kingdom, proved to be a far superior tractor.
With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, many a farmer and his son enlisted for overseas duty, causing most business activity to slow down until the war’s end in 1918. On return of enlisted men to the farms and industry, Australia was soon on the move again. RH’s belated plans to open a sales and service facility in the neglected Tweed Valley end of the territory were soon implemented. A section of AG Hayes’ coach building works in Prospero Street, South Murwillumbah, was rented and opened for business in 1919, and RH’s brother, Bill, who had come up from the family home in Victoria, was given the opportunity to join the business. He started in the Murwillumbah office and in 1924 took over as manager, when the then manager, Jim Cooper, was transferred to the newly opened Ballina facility.
The next company expansion came with the purchase of land in Casino for another garage outlet in 1922. In the same year, RH floated the firm into a company, RH Trevan Ltd, with shares being issued to Bill Trevan and selected staff. All land and buildings owned by RH, in person, were transferred to the new company in exchange for shares in his name.
From 1918 through to the early 1920s, business was good with sales of Model T Fords buoyant, mainly due to its low price together with the revolutionary semi-automatic transmission that enabled the car to be rocked back and forth out of most bog situations without damage. This feature, combined with its ruggedness, light weight and high ground clearance, made it the ideal car for the farmer.
Many of the Model T Fords were still coming in, semi-dismantled, without bodies, in pine crates from Canada. RH thought the pine timber was too good to waste and commissioned the occasional home furniture to be made from it. He also used the excess Model T running boards as garden edges and foundations for his tennis courts at the family home in Wyrallah Road.
Local towns and shires were growing, and there were considerable improvements in all aspects of life. From these heady days of the Model T sales also escalated the lucrative backyard body building business. Unfortunately, there were continual complaints from owners to Ford in Canada, as to the poor quality of these non-Ford Australian bodies.
Eventually, it caused Ford Canada enough concern to send two representatives, Mr Herbert French and Mr Booth, to Australia in 1923 to report on the customer complaints and the poor service facilities throughout Australia and New Zealand.
The Freedom of Information Act passed in 1982 disclosed the report sent to Ford Canada by these two representatives during their visit to Australia. Following the visit of their representatives, Ford Canada commenced moves to establish their own manufacturing plants in Australia, doing away with all distributors, such as Davies & Fehon, in NSW. Ford purchased an old ex-wool storage building in Geelong, Victoria and work commenced on May 25, 1925 to construct Ford Motor Company’s Australian plant for Model Ts, together with fitting Ford’s own all-steel body with the Ford warrantee.
Sites were chosen in Brisbane and Adelaide for the construction of further assembly plants. The Ford Canadian representative, Herbert French, was given the position of Foundation Managing Director of Ford Australia, which he held for over twenty-five years. Herbert and RH went on to become close associates over the period.
During 1925–1926, a copy of an American idea came in the way of a vehicle finance company, called Traders Finance Corporation Ltd (TFC). Established as a separate arm of Australian Guarantee Corporation (AGC), it was formed to exclusively handle dealers’ vehicle floor plan and retail financing. This new finance structure was called AGC/TFC and was put together by the Ford Motor Company, with assistance from some employees, who invested in it. As a trade off for losing their rights, distributors were given large shareholdings in this new company.
Photo below: 1916-1947, Third Trevan Ford Garage, this facia till 1919.
With a new start, RH purchased an old skating rink building in Molesworth Street, opposite the then Council Chambers building, and began trading again as RH Trevan Motor Engineers.
The old skating rink was an ideal size and had rear access into Carrington Street. The main fault was its wooden floor which, in later years, became oil-soaked and continually needed to be patched, as vehicles or car jacks pushed holes through it. As business progressed, Joe Anderson was employed as a salesman to sell the Model T cars and trucks and later the Irish-built Fordson tractor, which was planned to be released onto the market in Australia in 1918. This tractor became an instant success with farmers but caused mechanics many headaches with its poorly designed gearbox. As RH described to Ford, “ it was a case of shovelling the gears out by the spadeful”. The later models, built in Dagenham in the United Kingdom, proved to be a far superior tractor.
With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, many a farmer and his son enlisted for overseas duty, causing most business activity to slow down until the war’s end in 1918. On return of enlisted men to the farms and industry, Australia was soon on the move again. RH’s belated plans to open a sales and service facility in the neglected Tweed Valley end of the territory were soon implemented. A section of AG Hayes’ coach building works in Prospero Street, South Murwillumbah, was rented and opened for business in 1919, and RH’s brother, Bill, who had come up from the family home in Victoria, was given the opportunity to join the business. He started in the Murwillumbah office and in 1924 took over as manager, when the then manager, Jim Cooper, was transferred to the newly opened Ballina facility.
The next company expansion came with the purchase of land in Casino for another garage outlet in 1922. In the same year, RH floated the firm into a company, RH Trevan Ltd, with shares being issued to Bill Trevan and selected staff. All land and buildings owned by RH, in person, were transferred to the new company in exchange for shares in his name.
From 1918 through to the early 1920s, business was good with sales of Model T Fords buoyant, mainly due to its low price together with the revolutionary semi-automatic transmission that enabled the car to be rocked back and forth out of most bog situations without damage. This feature, combined with its ruggedness, light weight and high ground clearance, made it the ideal car for the farmer.
Many of the Model T Fords were still coming in, semi-dismantled, without bodies, in pine crates from Canada. RH thought the pine timber was too good to waste and commissioned the occasional home furniture to be made from it. He also used the excess Model T running boards as garden edges and foundations for his tennis courts at the family home in Wyrallah Road.
Local towns and shires were growing, and there were considerable improvements in all aspects of life. From these heady days of the Model T sales also escalated the lucrative backyard body building business. Unfortunately, there were continual complaints from owners to Ford in Canada, as to the poor quality of these non-Ford Australian bodies.
Eventually, it caused Ford Canada enough concern to send two representatives, Mr Herbert French and Mr Booth, to Australia in 1923 to report on the customer complaints and the poor service facilities throughout Australia and New Zealand.
The Freedom of Information Act passed in 1982 disclosed the report sent to Ford Canada by these two representatives during their visit to Australia. Following the visit of their representatives, Ford Canada commenced moves to establish their own manufacturing plants in Australia, doing away with all distributors, such as Davies & Fehon, in NSW. Ford purchased an old ex-wool storage building in Geelong, Victoria and work commenced on May 25, 1925 to construct Ford Motor Company’s Australian plant for Model Ts, together with fitting Ford’s own all-steel body with the Ford warrantee.
Sites were chosen in Brisbane and Adelaide for the construction of further assembly plants. The Ford Canadian representative, Herbert French, was given the position of Foundation Managing Director of Ford Australia, which he held for over twenty-five years. Herbert and RH went on to become close associates over the period.
During 1925–1926, a copy of an American idea came in the way of a vehicle finance company, called Traders Finance Corporation Ltd (TFC). Established as a separate arm of Australian Guarantee Corporation (AGC), it was formed to exclusively handle dealers’ vehicle floor plan and retail financing. This new finance structure was called AGC/TFC and was put together by the Ford Motor Company, with assistance from some employees, who invested in it. As a trade off for losing their rights, distributors were given large shareholdings in this new company.
Photo below: 1916-1947, Third Trevan Ford Garage, this facia till 1919.
15 Years Down - 1925
The first Model T Ford sedan-styled body arrived on the North Coast in 1925, in the form of a coupe. Because of the public’s lack of knowledge of this style of body, RH began driving this 2-door coupe to show customers on his daily rounds that even though more costly than a tourer, it was worth the extra money because of the added comfort, especially during inclement weather, due to its wind up windows.
A method the salesmen used to demonstrate the sedan body’s extra strength over the tourer body was by showing the client the strength of a tobacco tin, with the lid closed compared to when the lid was open.
The firm had been now been trading over fifteen years and with it came the knowledge that there is very little profit to be made in selling new motor cars. To overcome this, RH continually stressed that workshop productivity always remains high to ensure that all business overheads were covered by the service department. For the whole of his working life this policy was always adhered to and proved the company’s mainstay and reason why the business survived in a trading climate that saw many dealers fall by the wayside.
By being cost efficient in the workshop, RH was able to create his own fixed-charge, labour booklet that was given to all clients to indicate the cost of every job possible on their Ford car, truck or tractor and also stressed that Trevans could do the repair job on their Ford for less cost and quicker than any competitors. This booklet was available at all Trevan outlets in the Richmond and Tweed Valleys and, to this day, they’re occasionally found in old clients’ family memorabilia.
In a 1925 Northern Star article, it was reported that Ford Australia acknowledged the firm of RH Trevan as the second-oldest established Australian Ford dealer still in operation. The oldest being Tarrants in Maryborough, which at that time was still also owned by the original founders.
Even though Ford Motor Company had been a success story since its inception in 1903, the Model T they introduced in 1908 had changed little and was now becoming old hat, to the point that competitors’ vehicles were now far superior in all aspects.
Throughout the later life of the Model T, RH had been keen to offer his clients a more upmarket car should they wish to trade up. On a low-key basis, RH began to sell the 6-cylinder Hudson and Essex vehicles, which he obtained from the NSW distributors, Dalgety & Co, from their outlet in Woodlark Street, Lismore.
By the mid 1920s, Chevrolet cars from General Motors were now making big inroads into the marketplace where, for many years, Ford had held the major share. By 1926 Ford’s market penetration was now down to eleven and a half per cent. Ford Motor Company unfavourably viewed multi-franchising and, for RH to avoid Ford’s questioning his Hudson and Essex involvement, it was decided to form a separate company to sell and service the Hudson and Essex vehicles, away from the Trevan Molesworth Street garage.
This firm was called Hudex Motors and began trading from the old Dalgety premises in Woodlark Street, with a shareholding consisting of a group of local businessmen and RH. But, to conceal any association, he had his shares registered in his wife’s name, Edith Alicia Trevan. A Trevan salesman, Jack Sharpe’s 1928 day book shows that apart from Ford, the sales of Hudson and Essex vehicles were also an important part of his sales canvassing.
In 1927, Henry Ford decided to cease production of the Model T and retool for an all-new car to be called the Model A. All plants around the world were shut down and, to carry dealers through while the plants were retooling for the new car, Ford planned to make an enormous amount of Model Ts and send them to dealers, who were expected to accept and pay for them immediately.
Those dealers who did not comply generally lost their agencies but those that did and survived this traumatic period came to market a fantastic car that was far superior to many a higher priced competitor. During this earlier turbulent period Ford requested dealers to promote the Fordson tractor heavily. This was possibly done as a means of survival until the new car arrived. To this end, RH actually repainted the front of the garage, emphasising the availability of Fordson tractors in large lettering.
Such was the success of the newly released Model A Ford, that RH severed his association with Hudex Motors to concentrate his full efforts on this new car. Around this time, Hudex Motors employed Sid Pratten, who came from the firm of Canadian Cycle Co. He took on the Dodge and Chrysler franchise when Hudex Motors was dissolved in the early 1930s and this family business, Pratten’s, was to trade in Lismore under the direction of the founder’s son, Jim Pratten and grandson, Mark Pratten for many years.
Coinciding with the release of the new car, Ford began an appraisal of all their dealer outlets. The Queensland Branch General Manager visited RH and on December 3, 1928, reported back to Ford with his findings as follows:
"I stayed with Mr RH Trevan for a matter of four or five days, going thoroughly into conditions appertaining to the territory and the question of increasing his sales staff and also the question of improving his premises at Lismore. Unfortunately, we have to report that the prevailing dry conditions in this particular district of New South Wales are extremely bad and rain is badly needed in order to save large herds of cattle. Many orders have been cancelled on account of the failure of the rain. I visited Ballina with Mr Trevan and found that they had recently moved into new premises which, more or less, can be considered adequate for the present needs of this district.
"The Casino branch I found in very good order indeed with the manager, Mr Harrison, a very enthusiastic worker for the firm and Ford products.
"At Kyogle we found a situation which does not comply with company policy as Trevans is only being represented by a sub-dealer, Mackrell General Machinery. This agent also represents the LHC vehicle product. We also noted the premises were not necessarily suitable for a district the size of Kyogle but Mr Trevan is now making arrangements to either purchase or lease land on which to erect premises, and appoint a branch manager.
"I then visited Murwillumbah branch, together with Mr Trevan and his brother, Will Trevan, the manager. I found conditions here were not so enthusiastic and I have now arranged with Mr Trevan to appoint two or three salesmen in this district and that they thoroughly canvass the area much more than had been done in the past.
"Regarding Lismore, I suggested to Mr Trevan to hold up the re-building of his premises at Lismore until May or June next year. It is felt that his present premises are adequate and that he would be better to concentrate all his time and money on the development of the Ford franchise and increase sales rather than be worried about the building’s image."
It was a good report the representative sent back to Ford Motor Company, but he advised that they would soon be looking at the Kyogle territory, and it was not too long after his return that RH was advised by Ford that the Kyogle territory would be taken from him and given to Messrs GS Mackrell. This was the first implementation of Ford Canada’s policy of controlled dealer territory size, first mentioned in the 1923 French report.
Photo below: 1920s, Ford Trucks having bodies being built at Bangalow Body Builders, aprox. 30 kms from Lismore.
The first Model T Ford sedan-styled body arrived on the North Coast in 1925, in the form of a coupe. Because of the public’s lack of knowledge of this style of body, RH began driving this 2-door coupe to show customers on his daily rounds that even though more costly than a tourer, it was worth the extra money because of the added comfort, especially during inclement weather, due to its wind up windows.
A method the salesmen used to demonstrate the sedan body’s extra strength over the tourer body was by showing the client the strength of a tobacco tin, with the lid closed compared to when the lid was open.
The firm had been now been trading over fifteen years and with it came the knowledge that there is very little profit to be made in selling new motor cars. To overcome this, RH continually stressed that workshop productivity always remains high to ensure that all business overheads were covered by the service department. For the whole of his working life this policy was always adhered to and proved the company’s mainstay and reason why the business survived in a trading climate that saw many dealers fall by the wayside.
By being cost efficient in the workshop, RH was able to create his own fixed-charge, labour booklet that was given to all clients to indicate the cost of every job possible on their Ford car, truck or tractor and also stressed that Trevans could do the repair job on their Ford for less cost and quicker than any competitors. This booklet was available at all Trevan outlets in the Richmond and Tweed Valleys and, to this day, they’re occasionally found in old clients’ family memorabilia.
In a 1925 Northern Star article, it was reported that Ford Australia acknowledged the firm of RH Trevan as the second-oldest established Australian Ford dealer still in operation. The oldest being Tarrants in Maryborough, which at that time was still also owned by the original founders.
Even though Ford Motor Company had been a success story since its inception in 1903, the Model T they introduced in 1908 had changed little and was now becoming old hat, to the point that competitors’ vehicles were now far superior in all aspects.
Throughout the later life of the Model T, RH had been keen to offer his clients a more upmarket car should they wish to trade up. On a low-key basis, RH began to sell the 6-cylinder Hudson and Essex vehicles, which he obtained from the NSW distributors, Dalgety & Co, from their outlet in Woodlark Street, Lismore.
By the mid 1920s, Chevrolet cars from General Motors were now making big inroads into the marketplace where, for many years, Ford had held the major share. By 1926 Ford’s market penetration was now down to eleven and a half per cent. Ford Motor Company unfavourably viewed multi-franchising and, for RH to avoid Ford’s questioning his Hudson and Essex involvement, it was decided to form a separate company to sell and service the Hudson and Essex vehicles, away from the Trevan Molesworth Street garage.
This firm was called Hudex Motors and began trading from the old Dalgety premises in Woodlark Street, with a shareholding consisting of a group of local businessmen and RH. But, to conceal any association, he had his shares registered in his wife’s name, Edith Alicia Trevan. A Trevan salesman, Jack Sharpe’s 1928 day book shows that apart from Ford, the sales of Hudson and Essex vehicles were also an important part of his sales canvassing.
In 1927, Henry Ford decided to cease production of the Model T and retool for an all-new car to be called the Model A. All plants around the world were shut down and, to carry dealers through while the plants were retooling for the new car, Ford planned to make an enormous amount of Model Ts and send them to dealers, who were expected to accept and pay for them immediately.
Those dealers who did not comply generally lost their agencies but those that did and survived this traumatic period came to market a fantastic car that was far superior to many a higher priced competitor. During this earlier turbulent period Ford requested dealers to promote the Fordson tractor heavily. This was possibly done as a means of survival until the new car arrived. To this end, RH actually repainted the front of the garage, emphasising the availability of Fordson tractors in large lettering.
Such was the success of the newly released Model A Ford, that RH severed his association with Hudex Motors to concentrate his full efforts on this new car. Around this time, Hudex Motors employed Sid Pratten, who came from the firm of Canadian Cycle Co. He took on the Dodge and Chrysler franchise when Hudex Motors was dissolved in the early 1930s and this family business, Pratten’s, was to trade in Lismore under the direction of the founder’s son, Jim Pratten and grandson, Mark Pratten for many years.
Coinciding with the release of the new car, Ford began an appraisal of all their dealer outlets. The Queensland Branch General Manager visited RH and on December 3, 1928, reported back to Ford with his findings as follows:
"I stayed with Mr RH Trevan for a matter of four or five days, going thoroughly into conditions appertaining to the territory and the question of increasing his sales staff and also the question of improving his premises at Lismore. Unfortunately, we have to report that the prevailing dry conditions in this particular district of New South Wales are extremely bad and rain is badly needed in order to save large herds of cattle. Many orders have been cancelled on account of the failure of the rain. I visited Ballina with Mr Trevan and found that they had recently moved into new premises which, more or less, can be considered adequate for the present needs of this district.
"The Casino branch I found in very good order indeed with the manager, Mr Harrison, a very enthusiastic worker for the firm and Ford products.
"At Kyogle we found a situation which does not comply with company policy as Trevans is only being represented by a sub-dealer, Mackrell General Machinery. This agent also represents the LHC vehicle product. We also noted the premises were not necessarily suitable for a district the size of Kyogle but Mr Trevan is now making arrangements to either purchase or lease land on which to erect premises, and appoint a branch manager.
"I then visited Murwillumbah branch, together with Mr Trevan and his brother, Will Trevan, the manager. I found conditions here were not so enthusiastic and I have now arranged with Mr Trevan to appoint two or three salesmen in this district and that they thoroughly canvass the area much more than had been done in the past.
"Regarding Lismore, I suggested to Mr Trevan to hold up the re-building of his premises at Lismore until May or June next year. It is felt that his present premises are adequate and that he would be better to concentrate all his time and money on the development of the Ford franchise and increase sales rather than be worried about the building’s image."
It was a good report the representative sent back to Ford Motor Company, but he advised that they would soon be looking at the Kyogle territory, and it was not too long after his return that RH was advised by Ford that the Kyogle territory would be taken from him and given to Messrs GS Mackrell. This was the first implementation of Ford Canada’s policy of controlled dealer territory size, first mentioned in the 1923 French report.
Photo below: 1920s, Ford Trucks having bodies being built at Bangalow Body Builders, aprox. 30 kms from Lismore.
The Great Depression - 1930s
Even though the newly-released Model A Ford was an overnight sensation and sales continued to boom through 1929, times were suddenly to change. In 1930 sales of the 4-cylinder Ford dropped so severely against the GMH 6-cylinder Chevrolet and other 6-cylinder makes, that Ford began to retool for yet another all new motor car with a V8 engine.
With the release of this car in 1932, sales did rise but only temporarily, as the world depression had now begun to take dramatic effect in Australia. This depression virtually brought industry to its knees and people’s spending was down to where only the perceived ‘well off’ were able to buy a new car.
During this difficult period, Trevans, as with most garages, was only employing labour on a casual basis. This saw mechanics arriving, mostly by pushbike, at the garage and waiting with their tool boxes in the hope of getting some employment for the day. Many mechanics who suffered through this period later enjoyed the fruits of full employment and were to see out their working life with the firm. Throughout the depression, Trevans’ electrical department actually expanded and probably kept the business afloat during these difficult times.
With this development, came the move out of the small Magellan Street site to bigger premises at the northern end of Molesworth Street, opposite Wicks Jewellers, with Doug Newton as manager. NRMA appointed Trevans as their local designated electrical repairer and the full-time job of rewinding electrical motors was handled by well-known Miss Elsie Nelson, who attracted work from as far south as Grafton and north to the Tweed and inland to Tenterfield. The sale of batteries, together with their rebuilding, was also a big part of the department’s daily repair work, as many farmers were still relying on batteries to operate appliances such as lighting, radios and such.
The department was also capable of wiring complete households, as records show a letter from an insurance company granting Trevans permission to convert Oakland Castle, near Corak, owned by the prominent Yager family, from gas to electric lighting. New car sales virtually stopped, so to try and cover overheads, the firm turned to converting traded cars into utilities for farm use. Dobbin Sheafer built most of these utility bodies for Trevans and, as it was later seen, the request by Australian farmers for a utility-style vehicle, had Ford Australia in 1934 actually develop the world’s first integral passenger utility body from a sedan base.
Another section of the business that traded through the depression was the trimming department in Carrington Street. Charlie Watson, the manager for many years, went on to start his own business under the name of Watson and Sons, Trimmers. Charlie’s sons, Bruce, Keith and Eric, all worked at some stage of their careers with Trevans and their firm carried out trimming work for the company for many years.
It is noted in the records in 1934 that the organisation, since its inception in 1910, had sold 1,750 new Model T Fords; 485 new Model A, B and V8s; plus 2,000 used cars.
As the depression eased and vehicle sales picked up, Ford released its all new V12 cylinder Lincoln Zephyr sedan in 1937. One of these beautiful cars was sold by RH to his close golfing friend and company solicitor, Jack McIntosh. Both Jack and RH would travel in the Lincoln to important golfing events, such as to the Country Golf Championships in Sydney, with RH doing the driving, so his friend could be fresh for his golfing match on arrival.
Another close friend of RH, was farmer and inventor, Bill York from Swan Bay. One of his notable inventions was a rotary hoe that would work successfully behind the Fordson tractor. This was accomplished by Bill redesigning the gearbox ratio. He later took his design together with another non-patented invention to America and spoke to Henry Ford about them. Even though his ideas fell on deaf ears, much to Bill’s surprise, he later received a gift of a new plough for his tractor from the Ford Motor Company in the USA. The other non-patented invention was a music record changer, which was copied in the USA and came to be used worldwide in the ‘Jukebox’.
When he purchased his first tractor from RH, the story was often told how Bill York drove the tractor, on its steel plated wheels, from Byron Bay wharf to Swan Bay. The trip took over forty-eight hours and, to guide him by night, he used a lantern tied to the front of the tractor.
In 1937 Ford released its first full, all-steel turret on its V8 sedans and with it came a much safer and stronger bodied motorcar. In the same year, the companies, on accountants’ advice, re structured RH Trevan Ltd to RH Trevan Pty Ltd, mainly because of a new Government Tax Legislation.
Photo below: 1939, Spare Parts Manager, George Jackson at Lismore branch.
Even though the newly-released Model A Ford was an overnight sensation and sales continued to boom through 1929, times were suddenly to change. In 1930 sales of the 4-cylinder Ford dropped so severely against the GMH 6-cylinder Chevrolet and other 6-cylinder makes, that Ford began to retool for yet another all new motor car with a V8 engine.
With the release of this car in 1932, sales did rise but only temporarily, as the world depression had now begun to take dramatic effect in Australia. This depression virtually brought industry to its knees and people’s spending was down to where only the perceived ‘well off’ were able to buy a new car.
During this difficult period, Trevans, as with most garages, was only employing labour on a casual basis. This saw mechanics arriving, mostly by pushbike, at the garage and waiting with their tool boxes in the hope of getting some employment for the day. Many mechanics who suffered through this period later enjoyed the fruits of full employment and were to see out their working life with the firm. Throughout the depression, Trevans’ electrical department actually expanded and probably kept the business afloat during these difficult times.
With this development, came the move out of the small Magellan Street site to bigger premises at the northern end of Molesworth Street, opposite Wicks Jewellers, with Doug Newton as manager. NRMA appointed Trevans as their local designated electrical repairer and the full-time job of rewinding electrical motors was handled by well-known Miss Elsie Nelson, who attracted work from as far south as Grafton and north to the Tweed and inland to Tenterfield. The sale of batteries, together with their rebuilding, was also a big part of the department’s daily repair work, as many farmers were still relying on batteries to operate appliances such as lighting, radios and such.
The department was also capable of wiring complete households, as records show a letter from an insurance company granting Trevans permission to convert Oakland Castle, near Corak, owned by the prominent Yager family, from gas to electric lighting. New car sales virtually stopped, so to try and cover overheads, the firm turned to converting traded cars into utilities for farm use. Dobbin Sheafer built most of these utility bodies for Trevans and, as it was later seen, the request by Australian farmers for a utility-style vehicle, had Ford Australia in 1934 actually develop the world’s first integral passenger utility body from a sedan base.
Another section of the business that traded through the depression was the trimming department in Carrington Street. Charlie Watson, the manager for many years, went on to start his own business under the name of Watson and Sons, Trimmers. Charlie’s sons, Bruce, Keith and Eric, all worked at some stage of their careers with Trevans and their firm carried out trimming work for the company for many years.
It is noted in the records in 1934 that the organisation, since its inception in 1910, had sold 1,750 new Model T Fords; 485 new Model A, B and V8s; plus 2,000 used cars.
As the depression eased and vehicle sales picked up, Ford released its all new V12 cylinder Lincoln Zephyr sedan in 1937. One of these beautiful cars was sold by RH to his close golfing friend and company solicitor, Jack McIntosh. Both Jack and RH would travel in the Lincoln to important golfing events, such as to the Country Golf Championships in Sydney, with RH doing the driving, so his friend could be fresh for his golfing match on arrival.
Another close friend of RH, was farmer and inventor, Bill York from Swan Bay. One of his notable inventions was a rotary hoe that would work successfully behind the Fordson tractor. This was accomplished by Bill redesigning the gearbox ratio. He later took his design together with another non-patented invention to America and spoke to Henry Ford about them. Even though his ideas fell on deaf ears, much to Bill’s surprise, he later received a gift of a new plough for his tractor from the Ford Motor Company in the USA. The other non-patented invention was a music record changer, which was copied in the USA and came to be used worldwide in the ‘Jukebox’.
When he purchased his first tractor from RH, the story was often told how Bill York drove the tractor, on its steel plated wheels, from Byron Bay wharf to Swan Bay. The trip took over forty-eight hours and, to guide him by night, he used a lantern tied to the front of the tractor.
In 1937 Ford released its first full, all-steel turret on its V8 sedans and with it came a much safer and stronger bodied motorcar. In the same year, the companies, on accountants’ advice, re structured RH Trevan Ltd to RH Trevan Pty Ltd, mainly because of a new Government Tax Legislation.
Photo below: 1939, Spare Parts Manager, George Jackson at Lismore branch.
Employment Relations - 1930s
During the mid-1930s, staff picnics at various beaches were big social events with approximately one hundred and fifty staff and families from all branches attending. These combined picnics were regularly held at Byron Bay or Lennox Head, and were reported at length in The Northern Star paper. After morning tea there was a program of sports until lunch, whereupon RH, as the Managing Director, took the opportunity to make a speech to welcome the guests and expressed his pleasure in meeting the families of his staff from all branches.
After lunch, the sports program would continue with old fashioned contests such as foot races; three-legged and sack races; Old Buffers and flag races; high jumps, hop, step and jump, and tug-o’-war contests. In each of these competitions there were events for ladies as well as boys and girls. Prize money was made available by RH himself and other business associates.
One report from this period told of a combined motor dealers’ picnic at Broken Head, involving the two motor houses of Robinson’s, the GMH motor dealer, and Trevans, which had been situated next door to each other in Molesworth Street for many years. This great day was attended by more than two hundred staff from both firms with their families, together with an ambulance officer from Lismore to hand out sunburn lotion, so that everyone could enjoy the surf and beach activities. At afternoon teatime, both RH and Bill Robinson, made speeches about their history together with friendly banter about how Robinson’s had supported Trevans for many years. This was because the old Trevan building was supposedly leaning on the younger Robinson building, which was stopping it from falling over.
RH’s first encounters with Bill Robinson had been nearly twenty years earlier when RH sold him a car and also taught him to drive it. While RH had gone on to found a highly successful Ford franchise business, Bill Robinson had taken a parallel path to achieve similar heights with the General Motors franchise. In 1936, RH mentioned at a staff picnic the desirability in the future to build new brick premises on the present site in Molesworth Street. This rebuilding situation had been held back since 1928 on Ford Motor Company’s recommendations.
At a later picnic, RH took the opportunity to explain plans for a new facility, on land that had now been purchased in Keen Street, next to a corner service station that was large enough to house the sales and service departments all under one roof.
By mid 1936, the operation was possibly the biggest employer on the Far North Coast, with forty-five on the staff and an annual wages bill in excess of ten thousand pounds ($20,000). At that time, amongst the longest serving members of the staff were Noel Thompson (Lismore), fifteen years; Cecil Partridge (Murwillumbah), twenty years; Roy Squelch (Ballina), thirteen years and H Irvine (Casino), thirteen years. Will Trevan, the Murwillumbah Manager, had been with RH for fifteen years, as had PW Harrison, the Lismore Manager, and Miss Stewart, the firm’s secretary for thirteen years.
It had always been company policy to employ local men and youths and RH always made sure that his mechanics and department foremen were sent off to the Ford Motor Company service schools, to ensure they had the knowledge they needed to provide the expert servicing that he always prided the firm on being able to offer.
Photo below: 1930s, Lismore staff.
During the mid-1930s, staff picnics at various beaches were big social events with approximately one hundred and fifty staff and families from all branches attending. These combined picnics were regularly held at Byron Bay or Lennox Head, and were reported at length in The Northern Star paper. After morning tea there was a program of sports until lunch, whereupon RH, as the Managing Director, took the opportunity to make a speech to welcome the guests and expressed his pleasure in meeting the families of his staff from all branches.
After lunch, the sports program would continue with old fashioned contests such as foot races; three-legged and sack races; Old Buffers and flag races; high jumps, hop, step and jump, and tug-o’-war contests. In each of these competitions there were events for ladies as well as boys and girls. Prize money was made available by RH himself and other business associates.
One report from this period told of a combined motor dealers’ picnic at Broken Head, involving the two motor houses of Robinson’s, the GMH motor dealer, and Trevans, which had been situated next door to each other in Molesworth Street for many years. This great day was attended by more than two hundred staff from both firms with their families, together with an ambulance officer from Lismore to hand out sunburn lotion, so that everyone could enjoy the surf and beach activities. At afternoon teatime, both RH and Bill Robinson, made speeches about their history together with friendly banter about how Robinson’s had supported Trevans for many years. This was because the old Trevan building was supposedly leaning on the younger Robinson building, which was stopping it from falling over.
RH’s first encounters with Bill Robinson had been nearly twenty years earlier when RH sold him a car and also taught him to drive it. While RH had gone on to found a highly successful Ford franchise business, Bill Robinson had taken a parallel path to achieve similar heights with the General Motors franchise. In 1936, RH mentioned at a staff picnic the desirability in the future to build new brick premises on the present site in Molesworth Street. This rebuilding situation had been held back since 1928 on Ford Motor Company’s recommendations.
At a later picnic, RH took the opportunity to explain plans for a new facility, on land that had now been purchased in Keen Street, next to a corner service station that was large enough to house the sales and service departments all under one roof.
By mid 1936, the operation was possibly the biggest employer on the Far North Coast, with forty-five on the staff and an annual wages bill in excess of ten thousand pounds ($20,000). At that time, amongst the longest serving members of the staff were Noel Thompson (Lismore), fifteen years; Cecil Partridge (Murwillumbah), twenty years; Roy Squelch (Ballina), thirteen years and H Irvine (Casino), thirteen years. Will Trevan, the Murwillumbah Manager, had been with RH for fifteen years, as had PW Harrison, the Lismore Manager, and Miss Stewart, the firm’s secretary for thirteen years.
It had always been company policy to employ local men and youths and RH always made sure that his mechanics and department foremen were sent off to the Ford Motor Company service schools, to ensure they had the knowledge they needed to provide the expert servicing that he always prided the firm on being able to offer.
Photo below: 1930s, Lismore staff.
The Service Station, Corner Keen and Conway Street, Lismore
In 1937 RH purchased a half-share in the previously mentioned, newly-built service station, on the corner of Keen and Conway Streets, from CJ Harvey. Later that year, it became fully-owned by Trevans and on call twenty-four hours a day, with an employee sleeping on the premises. An outside bell was used to awaken the attendant, should service be required after hours. The attendant on duty was allowed an hour’s break for breakfast and tea, and Friday night off for shopping purposes, with the then five and a half day working week being forty-four hours. It was often said that this was the testing grounds for many a Trevan employee.
With business times still not being easy, RH would personally run the service station as much as possible on Sunday mornings and, as most of the pumps were still hand-operated, it was quite common to see him pumping fuel to a line up of motor cars that stretched well up Keen Street.
Petrol sales always ran between 6,000 to 10,000 gallons per month (27,276 to 45,460 litres) and the greasing of cars every 500 miles (800 kilometres), with oil changes at 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres), was a big part of Saturday morning trade, especially with commercial travellers who only had their cars available at weekends for service. RH once employed a young lass to help him with the serving of petrol and oil on Sundays. This turned out a short-lived experiment when it was found that when the drivers would ask for fuel and oil, she had a habit of putting both in the petrol tanks, much to the dismay of the client.
In 1938 an all-new piece of equipment called the Lincoln Electric Welder was purchased by the firm. This unit, together with another at Flynn’s Foundry, were to be the only two of their type for many years in the Lismore district. It was a great money maker for the firm, especially with the repairing of cracks in Ford chassis' spring-mounted, cross members, which broke regularly because of the poor local road conditions. Trevans installed Lismore’s first wheel alignment machine, called a Bean Aligner, which also was a great success for many years.
The next implementation of Ford Canada’s dealer size agenda began to impact, in 1938, onto the Trevan business. As much as RH and his brother, Bill, tried to keep the Tweed Valley territory, it was destined to be the next territory to be taken from them. With the eventual loss of the Murwillumbah branch, all vehicles were bought back to Lismore, where the Sales Manager, Cec Pestall, directed the saleable used vehicles to the rented sales building, opposite the Presbyterian Church in Keen Street and all others to the Trevan wrecking yard , the site of the present workshop, for dismantling as spare parts.
It is noted in the company’s minute books that discussion took place as to the possible expansion of the car sales department and the running of it as a totally separate operation, with its own staff on a separate wage index. This did eventually happen but only at cessation of war in 1946 when it became known as Trevan Car Sales Pty Ltd.
Photo below: 1936, Trevans Ford Ballina Branch, started first with NRMA. Gordon Smith on bike through WW2.
In 1937 RH purchased a half-share in the previously mentioned, newly-built service station, on the corner of Keen and Conway Streets, from CJ Harvey. Later that year, it became fully-owned by Trevans and on call twenty-four hours a day, with an employee sleeping on the premises. An outside bell was used to awaken the attendant, should service be required after hours. The attendant on duty was allowed an hour’s break for breakfast and tea, and Friday night off for shopping purposes, with the then five and a half day working week being forty-four hours. It was often said that this was the testing grounds for many a Trevan employee.
With business times still not being easy, RH would personally run the service station as much as possible on Sunday mornings and, as most of the pumps were still hand-operated, it was quite common to see him pumping fuel to a line up of motor cars that stretched well up Keen Street.
Petrol sales always ran between 6,000 to 10,000 gallons per month (27,276 to 45,460 litres) and the greasing of cars every 500 miles (800 kilometres), with oil changes at 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometres), was a big part of Saturday morning trade, especially with commercial travellers who only had their cars available at weekends for service. RH once employed a young lass to help him with the serving of petrol and oil on Sundays. This turned out a short-lived experiment when it was found that when the drivers would ask for fuel and oil, she had a habit of putting both in the petrol tanks, much to the dismay of the client.
In 1938 an all-new piece of equipment called the Lincoln Electric Welder was purchased by the firm. This unit, together with another at Flynn’s Foundry, were to be the only two of their type for many years in the Lismore district. It was a great money maker for the firm, especially with the repairing of cracks in Ford chassis' spring-mounted, cross members, which broke regularly because of the poor local road conditions. Trevans installed Lismore’s first wheel alignment machine, called a Bean Aligner, which also was a great success for many years.
The next implementation of Ford Canada’s dealer size agenda began to impact, in 1938, onto the Trevan business. As much as RH and his brother, Bill, tried to keep the Tweed Valley territory, it was destined to be the next territory to be taken from them. With the eventual loss of the Murwillumbah branch, all vehicles were bought back to Lismore, where the Sales Manager, Cec Pestall, directed the saleable used vehicles to the rented sales building, opposite the Presbyterian Church in Keen Street and all others to the Trevan wrecking yard , the site of the present workshop, for dismantling as spare parts.
It is noted in the company’s minute books that discussion took place as to the possible expansion of the car sales department and the running of it as a totally separate operation, with its own staff on a separate wage index. This did eventually happen but only at cessation of war in 1946 when it became known as Trevan Car Sales Pty Ltd.
Photo below: 1936, Trevans Ford Ballina Branch, started first with NRMA. Gordon Smith on bike through WW2.
The War Years, 1939 -1945
Australia was nearly fully recovered from the recession and local dairy products were selling well throughout Australia and overseas. The future looked prosperous for the nine hundred local dairy farmers and trade for the district. Suddenly, in 1938, any future plans for business expansion were soon to be curtailed as Europe, and eventually Australia, was drawn into World War II.
Until now the Trevan Company had survived through the World War I downturn and the world recession, plus many major and minor floods. Along with droughts and some serious managerial situations involving some misappropriation of funds court case actions, all of which must have tested RH and the company to the limit.
By 1939, staff had started to be called up for war service. Fortunately for the Trevan operation, it was able to keep trading because of its government classification as an essential industry. This allowed sufficient staff to be excluded from call-up to maintain vehicles belonging to police and army, together with vehicles used for building of the Evans Head aerodrome and the local army battalion fleet of Ford-equipped Bren Gun carriers, which were mainly based in the Nimbin area.
With the advent of World War II came petrol rationing and restrictions on new spare parts, only available on completion of many government forms, and then only for motorcars and trucks classified as an essential service vehicle. Other vehicles received a lower classification that only had parts released to them after a long waiting period. Second-hand spare parts, especially tyres and batteries, demanded premium prices, which made the Trevan wrecking yard a popular place for people trying to keep their cars going.
Motor vehicles of the time were none too reliable compared to today’s cars. Engine lives were 40,000 to 50,000 miles; spring shackles 15,000, plus the all too common Ford problem, of the breaking of the chassis cross members, axles and springs, saw many a good car go to the war scrap metal drive. To try and keep vehicles roadworthy, mechanics of this period became experts in scavenging, fabricating or substituting parts from different makes of motor vehicles. Rebuilding unserviceable batteries by dismantling and replacing the lead plates was an everyday practice by the Trevan electrical department.
Another job done by the electrical department was the adding of acid and charging the large batteries that were fitted into the locally built reconnaissance boats, made for the USA Navy by the AK Barnes Joinery Works in Wyrallah Road, Lismore. These batteries came in without acid from the Government Supplies Department, and it was staff member Roy Cuskelly’s job in the electrical department to fill them with acid, then charge, and this was repeated before they were fitted into the boats.
During this war period, petrol rationing had the average motorist receiving four to eight gallons of petrol per month, depending on the size and use of their vehicle. This was controlled by the issuing of government petrol tickets, soon resulting in a black market that eventually became a day-to-day occurrence, with almost everyone needing to drive their car any distance.
During the early part of the war RH placed an article in The Northern Star for the local Motor Traders’ Association, which said that even though a major war was on, the association wished motorists to contribute to the war effort by buying a new car or having the necessary repairs done to their vehicles, so that more taxes could go to the government to assist with the war effort.
As the war progressed, the only new vehicles to be manufactured in Australia were trucks, which mostly went to essential industries. Records show that the Trevan Company received only two orders for new vehicles throughout the period and only those in the latter war years.
In 1939, RH’s close friend and the business’ solicitor, Jack McIntosh, purchased another 12-cylinder Lincoln Zephyr but, with the introduction of fuel rationing, he traded the vehicle back on a smaller Ford V8. Years later, he requested the V8 be repainted but, as he could not do without his car from Monday to Friday, Trevans’ painter, ‘Pop’ Pixton, brush painted the car at Jack’s home in Uralba Street over one weekend. Such was Pop’s expertise, his jobs were indistinguishable from spray painting. He was also an expert with scrolls, a common practice used on horse drawn vehicles as well as trucks and vans at the time. Pop’s trademark in the paint shop was an enormous scroll on the wall facing Carrington Street. His son-in-law, Kel Callaghan, followed him in the trade, working for the Trevan Company for many years.
With the escalation of the war, all future building plans for the firm were put on hold. In 1939, RH wrote to the War Minister of Supply in Canberra, informing them that he had available 32,340 square feet of land in Keen Street, the site of the present premises, which would make an ideal site for an ammunition factory. Naturally, in RH’s mind was the availability of an instant workshop at the cessation of the war. Unfortunately, this ammunition factory never eventuated.
Throughout the war period, there was so little fuel available that the service station added a facility to fill vehicles converted to run on town gas. These vehicles, buses, trucks and some cars had a large storage bag made from a very sticky airtight material strapped inside a piped frame that was built on top of the entire length of the vehicle, about 1.2 metres (4’) high.
Another device used to fuel vehicles in wartime was called a gas producer, which was generally fitted to the rear of the vehicle. These units burnt coke-wood that had been burnt in a special process without oxygen. Trevans always carried up to a dozen of these units in stock and specialised in their fitting, which was mostly done by Hercules ‘Herk’ Walker, who also carried out their cleaning and re-filling in the old paint shop facing Carrington Street. The company always held for sale many bags of this coke in the same building and, when the operation of cleaning and re-coking these units was in progress, all that could be seen through the coke haze were Herk’s two white eyes—so much for today’s work cover, but he lived to great age.
To clean or refill these units, the lid on top was opened to allow fresh air to enter the hopper. In a short time there would be a small explosion that cleared the unit of unburnt gas. To hurry the action along the dangerous practice of throwing a lighted match into the hopper was used. RH continually preached the precaution of keeping well back when doing this exercise, but one day when demonstrating to staff, the explosion burnt all the hair from his arms and forehead. Staff member, Brian McSweeney, tells how the firm’s 1934 Ford V8 tow truck was fitted with one of these heavy gas producers that, unfortunately, had to be fitted to the side of the vehicle. Once, when rounding a corner near Rosebank, the unit tipped the truck over onto its side but fortunately Roy was able to put out the gas producer’s fire before the vehicle burnt out.
Photo below: 1950's, Lismore Ford Ambulances, Trevan’s serviced their continual updated fleets into the late 1970’s.
Australia was nearly fully recovered from the recession and local dairy products were selling well throughout Australia and overseas. The future looked prosperous for the nine hundred local dairy farmers and trade for the district. Suddenly, in 1938, any future plans for business expansion were soon to be curtailed as Europe, and eventually Australia, was drawn into World War II.
Until now the Trevan Company had survived through the World War I downturn and the world recession, plus many major and minor floods. Along with droughts and some serious managerial situations involving some misappropriation of funds court case actions, all of which must have tested RH and the company to the limit.
By 1939, staff had started to be called up for war service. Fortunately for the Trevan operation, it was able to keep trading because of its government classification as an essential industry. This allowed sufficient staff to be excluded from call-up to maintain vehicles belonging to police and army, together with vehicles used for building of the Evans Head aerodrome and the local army battalion fleet of Ford-equipped Bren Gun carriers, which were mainly based in the Nimbin area.
With the advent of World War II came petrol rationing and restrictions on new spare parts, only available on completion of many government forms, and then only for motorcars and trucks classified as an essential service vehicle. Other vehicles received a lower classification that only had parts released to them after a long waiting period. Second-hand spare parts, especially tyres and batteries, demanded premium prices, which made the Trevan wrecking yard a popular place for people trying to keep their cars going.
Motor vehicles of the time were none too reliable compared to today’s cars. Engine lives were 40,000 to 50,000 miles; spring shackles 15,000, plus the all too common Ford problem, of the breaking of the chassis cross members, axles and springs, saw many a good car go to the war scrap metal drive. To try and keep vehicles roadworthy, mechanics of this period became experts in scavenging, fabricating or substituting parts from different makes of motor vehicles. Rebuilding unserviceable batteries by dismantling and replacing the lead plates was an everyday practice by the Trevan electrical department.
Another job done by the electrical department was the adding of acid and charging the large batteries that were fitted into the locally built reconnaissance boats, made for the USA Navy by the AK Barnes Joinery Works in Wyrallah Road, Lismore. These batteries came in without acid from the Government Supplies Department, and it was staff member Roy Cuskelly’s job in the electrical department to fill them with acid, then charge, and this was repeated before they were fitted into the boats.
During this war period, petrol rationing had the average motorist receiving four to eight gallons of petrol per month, depending on the size and use of their vehicle. This was controlled by the issuing of government petrol tickets, soon resulting in a black market that eventually became a day-to-day occurrence, with almost everyone needing to drive their car any distance.
During the early part of the war RH placed an article in The Northern Star for the local Motor Traders’ Association, which said that even though a major war was on, the association wished motorists to contribute to the war effort by buying a new car or having the necessary repairs done to their vehicles, so that more taxes could go to the government to assist with the war effort.
As the war progressed, the only new vehicles to be manufactured in Australia were trucks, which mostly went to essential industries. Records show that the Trevan Company received only two orders for new vehicles throughout the period and only those in the latter war years.
In 1939, RH’s close friend and the business’ solicitor, Jack McIntosh, purchased another 12-cylinder Lincoln Zephyr but, with the introduction of fuel rationing, he traded the vehicle back on a smaller Ford V8. Years later, he requested the V8 be repainted but, as he could not do without his car from Monday to Friday, Trevans’ painter, ‘Pop’ Pixton, brush painted the car at Jack’s home in Uralba Street over one weekend. Such was Pop’s expertise, his jobs were indistinguishable from spray painting. He was also an expert with scrolls, a common practice used on horse drawn vehicles as well as trucks and vans at the time. Pop’s trademark in the paint shop was an enormous scroll on the wall facing Carrington Street. His son-in-law, Kel Callaghan, followed him in the trade, working for the Trevan Company for many years.
With the escalation of the war, all future building plans for the firm were put on hold. In 1939, RH wrote to the War Minister of Supply in Canberra, informing them that he had available 32,340 square feet of land in Keen Street, the site of the present premises, which would make an ideal site for an ammunition factory. Naturally, in RH’s mind was the availability of an instant workshop at the cessation of the war. Unfortunately, this ammunition factory never eventuated.
Throughout the war period, there was so little fuel available that the service station added a facility to fill vehicles converted to run on town gas. These vehicles, buses, trucks and some cars had a large storage bag made from a very sticky airtight material strapped inside a piped frame that was built on top of the entire length of the vehicle, about 1.2 metres (4’) high.
Another device used to fuel vehicles in wartime was called a gas producer, which was generally fitted to the rear of the vehicle. These units burnt coke-wood that had been burnt in a special process without oxygen. Trevans always carried up to a dozen of these units in stock and specialised in their fitting, which was mostly done by Hercules ‘Herk’ Walker, who also carried out their cleaning and re-filling in the old paint shop facing Carrington Street. The company always held for sale many bags of this coke in the same building and, when the operation of cleaning and re-coking these units was in progress, all that could be seen through the coke haze were Herk’s two white eyes—so much for today’s work cover, but he lived to great age.
To clean or refill these units, the lid on top was opened to allow fresh air to enter the hopper. In a short time there would be a small explosion that cleared the unit of unburnt gas. To hurry the action along the dangerous practice of throwing a lighted match into the hopper was used. RH continually preached the precaution of keeping well back when doing this exercise, but one day when demonstrating to staff, the explosion burnt all the hair from his arms and forehead. Staff member, Brian McSweeney, tells how the firm’s 1934 Ford V8 tow truck was fitted with one of these heavy gas producers that, unfortunately, had to be fitted to the side of the vehicle. Once, when rounding a corner near Rosebank, the unit tipped the truck over onto its side but fortunately Roy was able to put out the gas producer’s fire before the vehicle burnt out.
Photo below: 1950's, Lismore Ford Ambulances, Trevan’s serviced their continual updated fleets into the late 1970’s.
Post War Problems and floods
No sooner were celebrations of the war's end over in 1945, that yet another adversity hit. A massive 12.7 metre flood struck, and with it came enormous losses for the district and Trevans. The water rose so rapidly that few staff were able to get to the shop to assist in shifting stock and customers’ cars.
All the firm’s and customers’ vehicles suffered considerable water damage, together with most of the new spare parts, administration records, and historic photographs all being lost. The job of cleaning up became a mammoth task as the town water supply, as well as the power supply, were both out for a considerable time. Local businesses, and the district in general, took many years to recover from this disastrous flood and the Trevan Company virtually closed it's doors to most outside work for nearly three months while the equipment and clients’ cars were restored to pre-flood condition at the firm’s expense.
Any cars that had been covered with flood water were continually plagued with electrical problems due to the fabric-coated wiring of the time. New wiring was not available, as vehicle parts’ manufacturers had not yet fully returned back to normal supply after the war. To add to the difficulty, most batteries that had been covered by flood water, soon failed even though they had been drained and refilled with acid. The difficult task of removing water from the petrol tanks involved drilling out the rust in drain bungs. One vehicle, owned by Joe Habib, was nearly burnt out by fire during this process, when the fuel exploded after it ran down into the electric drill being used to remove the petrol tank bung.
With the war over and demand picking up, the government required new car buyers to fill in numerous forms and, at government discretion, vehicles were then allocated out on a priority basis system. Naturally this led to black market trading and generally persons with ready money only seemed to be the ones to receive new vehicle allocations. Most vehicle manufacturers were only able to supply revamped pre-war models, as in Ford’s case, and the English imports still used their old transverse springs design and even mechanically-operated brakes on the cars.
Because of the shortage of new and used vehicles, prices of second-hand vehicles were pegged by the government. This control also started the black market selling of used cars by private owners, and left a shortage of traded cars for sale by dealers. To supplement the shortage of cars, RH resorted to getting any agency that had items that the firm could sell, such as motor mowers, boat engines, motor scooters and milking machines. Also any ex-Army vehicles, the purchasing of which took place at army disposal depots in Brisbane and at Wallangarah (via Tenterfield).
To assist with the rectification and transporting of these vehicles, RH employed an ex-army mechanic, Wally Bulmer, who was extremely helpful with the particular mechanical problems associated with these types of vehicles before they were driven to Lismore. After these vehicles were convoyed to Lismore, they were stored at the rear of the Trevan family home in Wyrallah Road, making it look like an army depot for many years. One of these four-wheel drive Blitz trucks had only five miles (nine kilometres) on the speedometer and was selected to become the company’s tow truck. It worked faithfully for forty years, until retired in 1987.
Due to the shortage of new or used cars, even the Trevans had to resort to revamped ex-army vehicles to drive as personal transport. One well remembered ex-army purchase was when RH attended a war surplus equipment auction in Brisbane and became the highest bidder on a spare parts bin. His successful bid embarrassingly turned out to be a sample of what consisted of fourteen semi-trailer loads of dismantled spare parts bins. To pay for the purchase, a special bank loan had to be obtained, before they were transported and stored in the vehicle display area at the Lismore Showground, to be progressively assembled and sold all over Australia. Many are still being used in the Trevan spare parts department to this day.
Photo: 1954, Queen Elizabeths II visits Lismore, Vehicles stored overnight at Trevans before entourage CBD tour.
No sooner were celebrations of the war's end over in 1945, that yet another adversity hit. A massive 12.7 metre flood struck, and with it came enormous losses for the district and Trevans. The water rose so rapidly that few staff were able to get to the shop to assist in shifting stock and customers’ cars.
All the firm’s and customers’ vehicles suffered considerable water damage, together with most of the new spare parts, administration records, and historic photographs all being lost. The job of cleaning up became a mammoth task as the town water supply, as well as the power supply, were both out for a considerable time. Local businesses, and the district in general, took many years to recover from this disastrous flood and the Trevan Company virtually closed it's doors to most outside work for nearly three months while the equipment and clients’ cars were restored to pre-flood condition at the firm’s expense.
Any cars that had been covered with flood water were continually plagued with electrical problems due to the fabric-coated wiring of the time. New wiring was not available, as vehicle parts’ manufacturers had not yet fully returned back to normal supply after the war. To add to the difficulty, most batteries that had been covered by flood water, soon failed even though they had been drained and refilled with acid. The difficult task of removing water from the petrol tanks involved drilling out the rust in drain bungs. One vehicle, owned by Joe Habib, was nearly burnt out by fire during this process, when the fuel exploded after it ran down into the electric drill being used to remove the petrol tank bung.
With the war over and demand picking up, the government required new car buyers to fill in numerous forms and, at government discretion, vehicles were then allocated out on a priority basis system. Naturally this led to black market trading and generally persons with ready money only seemed to be the ones to receive new vehicle allocations. Most vehicle manufacturers were only able to supply revamped pre-war models, as in Ford’s case, and the English imports still used their old transverse springs design and even mechanically-operated brakes on the cars.
Because of the shortage of new and used vehicles, prices of second-hand vehicles were pegged by the government. This control also started the black market selling of used cars by private owners, and left a shortage of traded cars for sale by dealers. To supplement the shortage of cars, RH resorted to getting any agency that had items that the firm could sell, such as motor mowers, boat engines, motor scooters and milking machines. Also any ex-Army vehicles, the purchasing of which took place at army disposal depots in Brisbane and at Wallangarah (via Tenterfield).
To assist with the rectification and transporting of these vehicles, RH employed an ex-army mechanic, Wally Bulmer, who was extremely helpful with the particular mechanical problems associated with these types of vehicles before they were driven to Lismore. After these vehicles were convoyed to Lismore, they were stored at the rear of the Trevan family home in Wyrallah Road, making it look like an army depot for many years. One of these four-wheel drive Blitz trucks had only five miles (nine kilometres) on the speedometer and was selected to become the company’s tow truck. It worked faithfully for forty years, until retired in 1987.
Due to the shortage of new or used cars, even the Trevans had to resort to revamped ex-army vehicles to drive as personal transport. One well remembered ex-army purchase was when RH attended a war surplus equipment auction in Brisbane and became the highest bidder on a spare parts bin. His successful bid embarrassingly turned out to be a sample of what consisted of fourteen semi-trailer loads of dismantled spare parts bins. To pay for the purchase, a special bank loan had to be obtained, before they were transported and stored in the vehicle display area at the Lismore Showground, to be progressively assembled and sold all over Australia. Many are still being used in the Trevan spare parts department to this day.
Photo: 1954, Queen Elizabeths II visits Lismore, Vehicles stored overnight at Trevans before entourage CBD tour.
Forging Ahead - New Facilities in Lismore, NSW
In 1946, RH was advised by his accountant to split the business of RH Trevan Pty Ltd into three companies, as a tax-saving exercise. This recommendation was carried out and the three companies became known as RH Trevan Pty Ltd, Trevan Car Sales Pty Ltd and Trevans (Ballina) Pty Ltd.
Trevan Car Sales would solely handle the sales operations of vehicles and have used cars as their only asset. RH Trevan Pty Ltd would become the parent company, owning all land and buildings plus spare parts and operate the service facilities. With this restructuring, should any full recourse repossessing with vehicle financing arise, any claims would then only involve Trevan Car Sales Pty Ltd, with its limited funds and not affect the finances of RH Trevan Pty Ltd.
Life and business were now returning to normal. The Ford Motor Company were again pushing RH for new facilities, as the old Molesworth Street building was beyond repair and the showroom consisted of a roped off section of the workshop. RH was eventually convinced by Ford that it would be wise to build a new facility to their recommended size, because of the extensive research they had done on the future potential of the district. Plans were drawn up and a bank loan obtained for the project.
The new sales and service facility would be sited on the land owned in Keen Street and the design would have the showroom sited next to Trevans’ corner service station, and the workshop adjoining it on the wrecking yard land. Even though locals deemed the new facility to be too far out of town to be successful, the decision to go ahead had been made and all other land and buildings owned by RH Trevan Pty Ltd, in Casino and Murwillumbah, plus the Molesworth Street garage site, would be sold to help raise monies for the new facility.
On the August 25, 1947 the foundation stone was laid for the new building by RH’s good friend and ex-Lismore mayor (1942–46), CAH Dalziel. The construction of the building was directed by Frank Bennett, of Bennett Constructions. To erect the roof truss, poles were stood upright on the ground and cables passed from the roof trusses through a pulley on the high pole to a truck. To lift the roof truss, the truck was slowly driven forward to raise the truss into position. During one of these lifting operations one of the trusses fell on to Frank Bennett but, fortunately the ground was a quagmire at the time, and saved him from serious injury as he was pushed into the ground.
To prepare the site, many an old car remnant was unearthed, including a Rolls Royce, the engine having been donated by RH to the Lismore Technical College some years prior.
The opening of the premises by the mayor on June 10, 1948 was a gala affair, with a crowd of over two thousand attending. The new facility was referred to as the most modern and best-equipped garage in country NSW. A party of Ford Motor Company representatives came from Brisbane. These included the QLD Branch Sales Manager, A J Stratigos, together with the District Sales Manager, K C Pengilley, and J L Smith and M Milner from the service department. Following the opening, the crowd was treated to films, supper, and dancing to a band playing in the showroom.
One week after the building was opened, Lismore was subjected to yet another major flood and with it came large spare parts loss, as the spare parts’ department was situated at ground level against the southern wall of the showroom. With this flood, one specifically-designed innovation in the new premises did show its merits when it came to cleaning the mud from the workshop floor. The in-built twelve-inch (300cm) drop, from the rear of the building to the front footpath, assisted considerably as it does to this day with the regular cleaning tasks.
Because of the underground streams that pass beneath the building, the area is renowned for its soft, puggy soil texture and, because of this, the showroom was actually built with the walls on top of a complete floating cement platform. Unfortunately, the workshop front wall was not constructed in this way and a large vertical crack appeared in the structure soon after its construction. Dayal Singh, of Dayal Singh Constructions, rectified the problem by jacking up the wall and removing an amount of brickwork from the centre pillars before lowering the wall back into a straight position. To hold the wall together, steel tie-bars were placed across the building and tightened, and these tie bars can still be seen today inside the front wall of the workshop.
Even though it was a very modern and up-to-date workshop facility, one thing that defied progress was a telegraph pole that, because of a design fault, ended up in front of the workshop doorway. As there was no rear exit, RH spent considerable time directing clients around this pole and all efforts to have the electricity supplier, NRCC, shift the pole proved fruitless, until a police inspector ran in to it, whereupon the pole was relocated the next day. In 1948, further land was purchased on the southern side of the workshop, which is the site of the present panel shop and the old used car yard.
Photo below: 1948, Over 2000 visitors attend opening of Trevan’s all new Ford facility.
In 1946, RH was advised by his accountant to split the business of RH Trevan Pty Ltd into three companies, as a tax-saving exercise. This recommendation was carried out and the three companies became known as RH Trevan Pty Ltd, Trevan Car Sales Pty Ltd and Trevans (Ballina) Pty Ltd.
Trevan Car Sales would solely handle the sales operations of vehicles and have used cars as their only asset. RH Trevan Pty Ltd would become the parent company, owning all land and buildings plus spare parts and operate the service facilities. With this restructuring, should any full recourse repossessing with vehicle financing arise, any claims would then only involve Trevan Car Sales Pty Ltd, with its limited funds and not affect the finances of RH Trevan Pty Ltd.
Life and business were now returning to normal. The Ford Motor Company were again pushing RH for new facilities, as the old Molesworth Street building was beyond repair and the showroom consisted of a roped off section of the workshop. RH was eventually convinced by Ford that it would be wise to build a new facility to their recommended size, because of the extensive research they had done on the future potential of the district. Plans were drawn up and a bank loan obtained for the project.
The new sales and service facility would be sited on the land owned in Keen Street and the design would have the showroom sited next to Trevans’ corner service station, and the workshop adjoining it on the wrecking yard land. Even though locals deemed the new facility to be too far out of town to be successful, the decision to go ahead had been made and all other land and buildings owned by RH Trevan Pty Ltd, in Casino and Murwillumbah, plus the Molesworth Street garage site, would be sold to help raise monies for the new facility.
On the August 25, 1947 the foundation stone was laid for the new building by RH’s good friend and ex-Lismore mayor (1942–46), CAH Dalziel. The construction of the building was directed by Frank Bennett, of Bennett Constructions. To erect the roof truss, poles were stood upright on the ground and cables passed from the roof trusses through a pulley on the high pole to a truck. To lift the roof truss, the truck was slowly driven forward to raise the truss into position. During one of these lifting operations one of the trusses fell on to Frank Bennett but, fortunately the ground was a quagmire at the time, and saved him from serious injury as he was pushed into the ground.
To prepare the site, many an old car remnant was unearthed, including a Rolls Royce, the engine having been donated by RH to the Lismore Technical College some years prior.
The opening of the premises by the mayor on June 10, 1948 was a gala affair, with a crowd of over two thousand attending. The new facility was referred to as the most modern and best-equipped garage in country NSW. A party of Ford Motor Company representatives came from Brisbane. These included the QLD Branch Sales Manager, A J Stratigos, together with the District Sales Manager, K C Pengilley, and J L Smith and M Milner from the service department. Following the opening, the crowd was treated to films, supper, and dancing to a band playing in the showroom.
One week after the building was opened, Lismore was subjected to yet another major flood and with it came large spare parts loss, as the spare parts’ department was situated at ground level against the southern wall of the showroom. With this flood, one specifically-designed innovation in the new premises did show its merits when it came to cleaning the mud from the workshop floor. The in-built twelve-inch (300cm) drop, from the rear of the building to the front footpath, assisted considerably as it does to this day with the regular cleaning tasks.
Because of the underground streams that pass beneath the building, the area is renowned for its soft, puggy soil texture and, because of this, the showroom was actually built with the walls on top of a complete floating cement platform. Unfortunately, the workshop front wall was not constructed in this way and a large vertical crack appeared in the structure soon after its construction. Dayal Singh, of Dayal Singh Constructions, rectified the problem by jacking up the wall and removing an amount of brickwork from the centre pillars before lowering the wall back into a straight position. To hold the wall together, steel tie-bars were placed across the building and tightened, and these tie bars can still be seen today inside the front wall of the workshop.
Even though it was a very modern and up-to-date workshop facility, one thing that defied progress was a telegraph pole that, because of a design fault, ended up in front of the workshop doorway. As there was no rear exit, RH spent considerable time directing clients around this pole and all efforts to have the electricity supplier, NRCC, shift the pole proved fruitless, until a police inspector ran in to it, whereupon the pole was relocated the next day. In 1948, further land was purchased on the southern side of the workshop, which is the site of the present panel shop and the old used car yard.
Photo below: 1948, Over 2000 visitors attend opening of Trevan’s all new Ford facility.
Competition and Post War Era
Through this post-war era Australia’s vehicle manufacturers were unable to keep up with consumer demand, so General Motors approached the Australian Government for assistance in setting up an assembly plant (GMH) to produce a six-cylinder medium-sized vehicle in Australia.
This vehicle, called Holden, first came off their assembly line in 1948. Although it was of pre-war design, it became an immediate success story and could not be made quickly enough to keep up with demand, even though it cost the Australian worker five years’ wages to buy one. These Holden sales had a marked financial effect on Ford and their dealers, as Ford had no direct competitor to this car. GMH soon held fifty per cent of the total market while Ford dealers struggled with their revamped pre-war four-cylinder English models, and only the dream of the modern V8-style car to be assembled in Australia in 1949.
With the eventual arrival of this Australian-assembled car, it was thought it would be appropriate for RH to drive one. Much as salesmen tried, RH would not be swayed away from driving the older model car, as he felt this modern design had insufficient ground clearance to allow him to get to his favourite fishing spot at Flat Rock, near Ballina. In 1950, Ford celebrated twenty-five years in Australia and Herbert French presented RH with a Ford Twenty-Fifth Anniversary plaque in recognition of their association. Herbert French had been one of the two representatives sent from Canada to Australia in 1923 to report on the Australian distributors and dealers. At the celebration, RH presented Ken Sketchley, a staff employee for twenty years, with a dinner set, recognising his family as being one of the company’s oldest continual clients, buying their first Ford in 1914.
Even with the release of the all-new V8 custom range in 1949, many Ford dealers still complained to Ford Australia about the shortage of new vehicles. To try and fill his orders, a Sydney Ford dealer started importing these English-built Ford V8 Pilots direct from the British company. Ford Australia in turn imported several of these cars and displayed them to dealers throughout Australia. RH and his son, Jack, placed orders for fourteen of these cars to be delivered over a twelve-month period. Because of Ford’s assembly line inadequacy, some of these Ford V8 Pilots were sent to Lismore and Ballina, still crated in a semi-knocked down state, to be then assembled by Trevan staff. RH began driving one of these pre-war designed Pilots because of its ground clearance and over the following years the V8 Pilot became his everyday car.
In 1952, Ford Australia began to release the first of its long awaited up-to-date English designed 4- and 6-cylinder cars. First came the 4-cylinder, 2 litre Consul, and in 1954 the 6-cylinder Zephyr, together with the all-new, much smaller 4-cylinder 100E Prefect, and the stylish, 2-door 105E Anglia vehicle. The Zephyr 6-cylinder was to compete directly against GMH’s Australian-built Holden but, as the Zephyr was far more expensive, its sales where slow as GMH continued to hold market share with the Holden.
Photo below: 1956, Workshop staff. From top left: Cody, Terry Harman, Barry Witney, Pat Lawler, Berisford Smith, Ken Sketchley, Tim Raison, Les McInerny. Front Row: Russel Booker, Nico Moras, Henry Betteridge, Nevel Esteridge, Ross Smith, Ted Streckfast, Bill Sands, Stan Noland and Len Mitchell.
Through this post-war era Australia’s vehicle manufacturers were unable to keep up with consumer demand, so General Motors approached the Australian Government for assistance in setting up an assembly plant (GMH) to produce a six-cylinder medium-sized vehicle in Australia.
This vehicle, called Holden, first came off their assembly line in 1948. Although it was of pre-war design, it became an immediate success story and could not be made quickly enough to keep up with demand, even though it cost the Australian worker five years’ wages to buy one. These Holden sales had a marked financial effect on Ford and their dealers, as Ford had no direct competitor to this car. GMH soon held fifty per cent of the total market while Ford dealers struggled with their revamped pre-war four-cylinder English models, and only the dream of the modern V8-style car to be assembled in Australia in 1949.
With the eventual arrival of this Australian-assembled car, it was thought it would be appropriate for RH to drive one. Much as salesmen tried, RH would not be swayed away from driving the older model car, as he felt this modern design had insufficient ground clearance to allow him to get to his favourite fishing spot at Flat Rock, near Ballina. In 1950, Ford celebrated twenty-five years in Australia and Herbert French presented RH with a Ford Twenty-Fifth Anniversary plaque in recognition of their association. Herbert French had been one of the two representatives sent from Canada to Australia in 1923 to report on the Australian distributors and dealers. At the celebration, RH presented Ken Sketchley, a staff employee for twenty years, with a dinner set, recognising his family as being one of the company’s oldest continual clients, buying their first Ford in 1914.
Even with the release of the all-new V8 custom range in 1949, many Ford dealers still complained to Ford Australia about the shortage of new vehicles. To try and fill his orders, a Sydney Ford dealer started importing these English-built Ford V8 Pilots direct from the British company. Ford Australia in turn imported several of these cars and displayed them to dealers throughout Australia. RH and his son, Jack, placed orders for fourteen of these cars to be delivered over a twelve-month period. Because of Ford’s assembly line inadequacy, some of these Ford V8 Pilots were sent to Lismore and Ballina, still crated in a semi-knocked down state, to be then assembled by Trevan staff. RH began driving one of these pre-war designed Pilots because of its ground clearance and over the following years the V8 Pilot became his everyday car.
In 1952, Ford Australia began to release the first of its long awaited up-to-date English designed 4- and 6-cylinder cars. First came the 4-cylinder, 2 litre Consul, and in 1954 the 6-cylinder Zephyr, together with the all-new, much smaller 4-cylinder 100E Prefect, and the stylish, 2-door 105E Anglia vehicle. The Zephyr 6-cylinder was to compete directly against GMH’s Australian-built Holden but, as the Zephyr was far more expensive, its sales where slow as GMH continued to hold market share with the Holden.
Photo below: 1956, Workshop staff. From top left: Cody, Terry Harman, Barry Witney, Pat Lawler, Berisford Smith, Ken Sketchley, Tim Raison, Les McInerny. Front Row: Russel Booker, Nico Moras, Henry Betteridge, Nevel Esteridge, Ross Smith, Ted Streckfast, Bill Sands, Stan Noland and Len Mitchell.
The 1950s saw the worst floods in Lismore and the Queen comes to visit
Up to this time, vehicle trade-ins shared the showroom with new cars, but as the 1950s progressed, new vehicle supply gradually started to catch up with demand, and trade-ins were soon to become part of the everyday marketing of new cars. The move to create a used car yard began with the progressive buying of four house sites on the eastern side of Keen Street, opposite the garage and present site of the ambulance station. Over following years, the company was able to purchase all the sites, starting from the two-storey brick building, south to McLennan Lane, including the then Lismore Cordials’ factory site. With the sites eventually cleared, a cover was built at the rear of the yard to include an office and detail area, and Jack Trevan moved in to become the firm’s first full-time used car manager.
In 1954, Queen Elizabeth II visited Australia and came to Lismore as part of her itinerary. Heavy rain began falling throughout her visit and within twenty-four hours of her departure, Lismore was inundated by the district’s biggest recorded flood to date.
Not only did Lismore CBD suffer devastating losses, but enormous damage extended throughout the district and also to other areas on the east coast of Australia. The rate of water rise in Lismore was beyond the capacity of Trevan staff to lift many items, including the shifting of many vehicles to high ground. The trapped vehicles were placed on the air-operated hoists, together with workshop equipment and oil drums.
At the height of the flood, all the hoists suddenly lowered into the oily water and took with them all the supported cars and equipment. This was caused when an air storage tank tore from its mountings and released all the air from the hoists’ rams. This was an expensive lesson for not having safety chocks under all hoists. From this devastating flood, the company again suffered large losses in the ground floor spare parts department. As soon as finance became available, the spare parts department was relocated upstairs onto the mezzanine floor.
NRMA decided to close their Lismore office in Club Lane, in 1954. Because of their close association with Trevans, the manager, Ken Wall, approached RH with the idea of taking over the running of the NRMA office, which included insurance sales and the road service operation. The offer was accepted in 1955 and the NRMA depot was re-sited into the Trevan showroom, together with two of the ex-NRMA staff employed to run the operation. Ford released the all-new Customline in 1955, with its new OHV engine and automatic transmission, a first for Ford Australia. They presented local lass, Pam Nipperess, with one of these cars through Trevans, after she won the Miss NSW Beauty Contest.
In 1956, Jack Trevan moved from used cars to take over the Ballina operation and in the following year RH’s youngest son, Bob, having finished his motor mechanic’s apprenticeship, took on the job of establishing a second-hand spare parts operation, Lismore Car Wreckers Pty Ltd, on the land the firm owned in East Gundurimbah.
Hire purchase of motorcars was now becoming a much more aggressive means of marketing. To help promote hire purchase, RH placed an article in the paper stating that vehicle hire purchase was certainly the way to go when buying a new or used car in this day and age. This was a far cry from the old days when RH did a lot of personal financing on a system of deferred payment, meaning pay when crops were harvested.
When RH was doing his own financing, it also meant him doing his own repossessing. When this ever happened, he was known to always take his shotgun with him just in case things turned nasty. This situation was most prevalent through the recession period of the 1930s, when the car owner was not always ready to have his only means of job-hunting and transport repossessed.
Sadly, as 1950–60 records show, the projected population increase for the Lismore district by Ford did not eventuate and actually declined, as many young people, especially from farming families, left the area looking for work in their chosen field. The loss of this cheap, family labour ultimately caused many a dairy farm to become uneconomical and eventually sold.
The situation was also aggravated by the drop in sales of overseas dairy products when the UK joined with the European Common Market. With this local downturn in income, RH and his eldest son, RH (Dick) Jnr and the company’s accountant, Ken Hammond, had the mammoth job of trying to manage funds to keep up with the bank overdraft repayments. This overdraft was to become a contentious issue with various bank managers as they came and went from Lismore over many years.
Photo below: 1948, Trevan family, from left, Dick (Jnr), RH (Snr), Bob and Jack.
Up to this time, vehicle trade-ins shared the showroom with new cars, but as the 1950s progressed, new vehicle supply gradually started to catch up with demand, and trade-ins were soon to become part of the everyday marketing of new cars. The move to create a used car yard began with the progressive buying of four house sites on the eastern side of Keen Street, opposite the garage and present site of the ambulance station. Over following years, the company was able to purchase all the sites, starting from the two-storey brick building, south to McLennan Lane, including the then Lismore Cordials’ factory site. With the sites eventually cleared, a cover was built at the rear of the yard to include an office and detail area, and Jack Trevan moved in to become the firm’s first full-time used car manager.
In 1954, Queen Elizabeth II visited Australia and came to Lismore as part of her itinerary. Heavy rain began falling throughout her visit and within twenty-four hours of her departure, Lismore was inundated by the district’s biggest recorded flood to date.
Not only did Lismore CBD suffer devastating losses, but enormous damage extended throughout the district and also to other areas on the east coast of Australia. The rate of water rise in Lismore was beyond the capacity of Trevan staff to lift many items, including the shifting of many vehicles to high ground. The trapped vehicles were placed on the air-operated hoists, together with workshop equipment and oil drums.
At the height of the flood, all the hoists suddenly lowered into the oily water and took with them all the supported cars and equipment. This was caused when an air storage tank tore from its mountings and released all the air from the hoists’ rams. This was an expensive lesson for not having safety chocks under all hoists. From this devastating flood, the company again suffered large losses in the ground floor spare parts department. As soon as finance became available, the spare parts department was relocated upstairs onto the mezzanine floor.
NRMA decided to close their Lismore office in Club Lane, in 1954. Because of their close association with Trevans, the manager, Ken Wall, approached RH with the idea of taking over the running of the NRMA office, which included insurance sales and the road service operation. The offer was accepted in 1955 and the NRMA depot was re-sited into the Trevan showroom, together with two of the ex-NRMA staff employed to run the operation. Ford released the all-new Customline in 1955, with its new OHV engine and automatic transmission, a first for Ford Australia. They presented local lass, Pam Nipperess, with one of these cars through Trevans, after she won the Miss NSW Beauty Contest.
In 1956, Jack Trevan moved from used cars to take over the Ballina operation and in the following year RH’s youngest son, Bob, having finished his motor mechanic’s apprenticeship, took on the job of establishing a second-hand spare parts operation, Lismore Car Wreckers Pty Ltd, on the land the firm owned in East Gundurimbah.
Hire purchase of motorcars was now becoming a much more aggressive means of marketing. To help promote hire purchase, RH placed an article in the paper stating that vehicle hire purchase was certainly the way to go when buying a new or used car in this day and age. This was a far cry from the old days when RH did a lot of personal financing on a system of deferred payment, meaning pay when crops were harvested.
When RH was doing his own financing, it also meant him doing his own repossessing. When this ever happened, he was known to always take his shotgun with him just in case things turned nasty. This situation was most prevalent through the recession period of the 1930s, when the car owner was not always ready to have his only means of job-hunting and transport repossessed.
Sadly, as 1950–60 records show, the projected population increase for the Lismore district by Ford did not eventuate and actually declined, as many young people, especially from farming families, left the area looking for work in their chosen field. The loss of this cheap, family labour ultimately caused many a dairy farm to become uneconomical and eventually sold.
The situation was also aggravated by the drop in sales of overseas dairy products when the UK joined with the European Common Market. With this local downturn in income, RH and his eldest son, RH (Dick) Jnr and the company’s accountant, Ken Hammond, had the mammoth job of trying to manage funds to keep up with the bank overdraft repayments. This overdraft was to become a contentious issue with various bank managers as they came and went from Lismore over many years.
Photo below: 1948, Trevan family, from left, Dick (Jnr), RH (Snr), Bob and Jack.
RH diagnosed with colon cancer
By the late-1950s, RH was now into his seventies and, because of his failing health, was only participating in the business as a governing director. Responsibility for overseeing the business was mainly in the hands of Dick Jnr and Ken Hammond, who resigned in 1960, having been the company’s accountant since 1936, to take over the Ford dealership in Mullumbimby. He was replaced by Terry Harmond. Sales Manager, Jack Oke, who had also been with the firm since the mid-thirties, was soon to retire, and ex-school teacher, Athol Livingstone, took his place.
In March 1956, Lismore Apex was honoured by being chosen as the host for the Silver Jubilee National Convention. Perhaps the outstanding feat of organisation was the convention dinner which was held in the Trevan garage, the only suitable building large enough to hold the eight hundred members and guests in attendance. 1960 was an important year for Ford and its dealers, with the release of the long-awaited, Australian-assembled but USA-designed, Falcon 6-cylinder range of vehicle. This range would put Ford dealers in a much better competing position against the Australian-built GMH Holden range, which at the time still held over fifty per cent of the market.
The new car was well accepted and sold well, even though it took the average worker sixty weeks’ wages to purchase a basic sedan. RH had been diagnosed with colon cancer in 1958 and, after a long battle, succumbed to this terrible disease and died in St Vincent’s Hospital in Lismore, aged seventy-four years. His death was possibly a relief to this dignified man, but a great loss to the firm and the district.
With the passing of the company’s founder, RH Trevan Snr, the Ford Dealer Principal position passed to RH Jnr, Dick as he was known.
Photo below: 1950, Plaque Presentation from Ford Australia to RH.
By the late-1950s, RH was now into his seventies and, because of his failing health, was only participating in the business as a governing director. Responsibility for overseeing the business was mainly in the hands of Dick Jnr and Ken Hammond, who resigned in 1960, having been the company’s accountant since 1936, to take over the Ford dealership in Mullumbimby. He was replaced by Terry Harmond. Sales Manager, Jack Oke, who had also been with the firm since the mid-thirties, was soon to retire, and ex-school teacher, Athol Livingstone, took his place.
In March 1956, Lismore Apex was honoured by being chosen as the host for the Silver Jubilee National Convention. Perhaps the outstanding feat of organisation was the convention dinner which was held in the Trevan garage, the only suitable building large enough to hold the eight hundred members and guests in attendance. 1960 was an important year for Ford and its dealers, with the release of the long-awaited, Australian-assembled but USA-designed, Falcon 6-cylinder range of vehicle. This range would put Ford dealers in a much better competing position against the Australian-built GMH Holden range, which at the time still held over fifty per cent of the market.
The new car was well accepted and sold well, even though it took the average worker sixty weeks’ wages to purchase a basic sedan. RH had been diagnosed with colon cancer in 1958 and, after a long battle, succumbed to this terrible disease and died in St Vincent’s Hospital in Lismore, aged seventy-four years. His death was possibly a relief to this dignified man, but a great loss to the firm and the district.
With the passing of the company’s founder, RH Trevan Snr, the Ford Dealer Principal position passed to RH Jnr, Dick as he was known.
Photo below: 1950, Plaque Presentation from Ford Australia to RH.
World Wide Recession - 1960s
Unfortunately the 1960s saw the start of a worldwide recession. The Australian Government commenced procedures to control public spending by raising sales tax on motor vehicles from the already high thirty to forty per cent. This was deemed overkill, with vehicle sales dropping so severely that the government soon decreased the tax to thirty per cent. This naturally created havoc in the marketplace, especially with late model vehicle values. Trying to juggle the economy, the government proceeded to limit finance companies on vehicle finance transactions and limited dealer floor plan monies. This control eventually caused many finance company country branches to close, and created chaos with many volume city motor dealers.
The situation was magnified with Ford dealers, as sales were affected by the problems with the recently-released Falcon range, due to mechanical weaknesses, suspension collapses, and clutch problems, together with buyer resistance to its large USA-style steering wheel and steering ratio. Even with the release of the new 1962 XK model, the problems were still prevalent, and to make sales harder, the marketplace had gained a new serious competitor from Chrysler, called ‘Valiant’.
To try and stem the Falcon’s poor image, Ford created what became known as an extended warranty plan, which had Ford paying one third, the dealer paying one third, and the owner one third for the proposed rectification costs. For those Ford dealers who survived through this period, they came to market the far superior 1964–65 XM XP Falcon model, modification of which can be credited to Ford Australia.
To try and keep loyal customers, Trevans continually traded their clients’ problem Falcons back, sending them to Sydney auctions and replacing them with the more popular Holden cars. Hopefully, with the sale of these Holdens, the initial dollar trading loss created from the Falcon wholesale would be recouped. By 1965, the Keen Street used car yard had received its first update, with the construction of a vehicle cover at the rear of the yard and the removal of the fence facing Keen Street.
The next expansion to the yard came in the 1960s, with the purchase of the used truck lot belonging to John Robinson from Tatco Motors on the northern side of the yard, and later came the purchase of the old Glynn Cordial Factory on the southern side. From the release of the superior 1964 XM Falcon and the public acceptance of the car, sales slowly improved to where the 1966 XT Falcon actually outsold Holden for the first time. Sadly, in 1966 the firm’s accountant, Bruce Skinner, was killed in a car accident at Brunswick Heads, aged fifty. Office staff member, David Switzer, filled the job temporarily till Tony Mitchell took over the accountancy position.
Throughout the sixties, the Japanese motor industry had been steadily increasing its penetration into Australia with names like Mazda, Nissan, Toyota, and Mitsubishi becoming household brands. The poor quality, pre-war Japanese products were now becoming known for quality and reliability. In anticipation of the council extending Carrington Street to Bounty Street, the panel department and paint shop were planned for removal. In 1962, a completely new panel department was constructed on the southern side of the workshop, with internal access after a section of adjoining wall was removed. The old paint shop building was transported to the wrecking yard at Gundurimbah as a parts storage facility.
To assist with the development of Carrington Street, RH Snr had given the portion of land that sited the paint department to the council, to help create the desperately needed rear exit for the workshop. With the finished extension of Carrington Street in 1963, there came the move of Messrs W Robinson and Son, GMH Dealers, from beside the old Trevan site in Molesworth Street to the corner of Conway and Carrington Streets. Again they were positioned adjacent to the Trevan business.
During 1964, Dick Trevan visited the Ford Motor Company in the UK and while there noted their newly-released, heavy duty bus chassis. On his return, he ordered five of these units direct from Ford in UK. The first chassis arrived in 1965 and was sold to the New England Bus Company for its tableland run. As the remaining chassis units arrived, they were sold to New England Bus Company and other bus companies around Australia. Terry Harmon took over from Tony Mitchell in 1968, as the company’s accountant and in the same year, Ford introduced the all-new, heavy duty USA Louisville truck range.
Photo below: 1953, Ladies office staff at Lismore. From left: Unna Cummins, Marie Hann, Ruth Scheaffe, June Clarke Daune Fletcher, Elaine Kelly, Margaret Storman, Hazel Boyce and Fay Shearman.
Unfortunately the 1960s saw the start of a worldwide recession. The Australian Government commenced procedures to control public spending by raising sales tax on motor vehicles from the already high thirty to forty per cent. This was deemed overkill, with vehicle sales dropping so severely that the government soon decreased the tax to thirty per cent. This naturally created havoc in the marketplace, especially with late model vehicle values. Trying to juggle the economy, the government proceeded to limit finance companies on vehicle finance transactions and limited dealer floor plan monies. This control eventually caused many finance company country branches to close, and created chaos with many volume city motor dealers.
The situation was magnified with Ford dealers, as sales were affected by the problems with the recently-released Falcon range, due to mechanical weaknesses, suspension collapses, and clutch problems, together with buyer resistance to its large USA-style steering wheel and steering ratio. Even with the release of the new 1962 XK model, the problems were still prevalent, and to make sales harder, the marketplace had gained a new serious competitor from Chrysler, called ‘Valiant’.
To try and stem the Falcon’s poor image, Ford created what became known as an extended warranty plan, which had Ford paying one third, the dealer paying one third, and the owner one third for the proposed rectification costs. For those Ford dealers who survived through this period, they came to market the far superior 1964–65 XM XP Falcon model, modification of which can be credited to Ford Australia.
To try and keep loyal customers, Trevans continually traded their clients’ problem Falcons back, sending them to Sydney auctions and replacing them with the more popular Holden cars. Hopefully, with the sale of these Holdens, the initial dollar trading loss created from the Falcon wholesale would be recouped. By 1965, the Keen Street used car yard had received its first update, with the construction of a vehicle cover at the rear of the yard and the removal of the fence facing Keen Street.
The next expansion to the yard came in the 1960s, with the purchase of the used truck lot belonging to John Robinson from Tatco Motors on the northern side of the yard, and later came the purchase of the old Glynn Cordial Factory on the southern side. From the release of the superior 1964 XM Falcon and the public acceptance of the car, sales slowly improved to where the 1966 XT Falcon actually outsold Holden for the first time. Sadly, in 1966 the firm’s accountant, Bruce Skinner, was killed in a car accident at Brunswick Heads, aged fifty. Office staff member, David Switzer, filled the job temporarily till Tony Mitchell took over the accountancy position.
Throughout the sixties, the Japanese motor industry had been steadily increasing its penetration into Australia with names like Mazda, Nissan, Toyota, and Mitsubishi becoming household brands. The poor quality, pre-war Japanese products were now becoming known for quality and reliability. In anticipation of the council extending Carrington Street to Bounty Street, the panel department and paint shop were planned for removal. In 1962, a completely new panel department was constructed on the southern side of the workshop, with internal access after a section of adjoining wall was removed. The old paint shop building was transported to the wrecking yard at Gundurimbah as a parts storage facility.
To assist with the development of Carrington Street, RH Snr had given the portion of land that sited the paint department to the council, to help create the desperately needed rear exit for the workshop. With the finished extension of Carrington Street in 1963, there came the move of Messrs W Robinson and Son, GMH Dealers, from beside the old Trevan site in Molesworth Street to the corner of Conway and Carrington Streets. Again they were positioned adjacent to the Trevan business.
During 1964, Dick Trevan visited the Ford Motor Company in the UK and while there noted their newly-released, heavy duty bus chassis. On his return, he ordered five of these units direct from Ford in UK. The first chassis arrived in 1965 and was sold to the New England Bus Company for its tableland run. As the remaining chassis units arrived, they were sold to New England Bus Company and other bus companies around Australia. Terry Harmon took over from Tony Mitchell in 1968, as the company’s accountant and in the same year, Ford introduced the all-new, heavy duty USA Louisville truck range.
Photo below: 1953, Ladies office staff at Lismore. From left: Unna Cummins, Marie Hann, Ruth Scheaffe, June Clarke Daune Fletcher, Elaine Kelly, Margaret Storman, Hazel Boyce and Fay Shearman.
The 1970s - Land acquisition and competition from the Holden Commodore
1970 was a momentous year because the complete parcel of land on the eastern side of Keen Street, housing the used car yard, tractor sales and Lismore Car Wreckers’ town office, was sold to the NSW Ambulance Department for their new ambulance station. This sale meant the re-siting of the used car operation to the Carrington Street vacant land, on the western side of the panel department. This large area now required concrete paving plus the re-positioning of the used car cover from the old Keen Street yard.
Naturally, there was the risk of putting the used cars in a back street situation but the big plus was that the monies gained from the sale of the Keen Street site would be used to pay off the long-standing bank debt that had been a contentious issue with Trevan management and the bank since the new garage facility was constructed in 1948. Over the years, this debt had caused management to curtail important purchases due to company policy; if the money wasn’t in the bank, then the item would not be purchased.
In June 1970, the decision was made to demolish the corner service station to make way for an open display area for new cars. Over the preceding years the service station had been leased out to various operators, such as Vic Reynolds and Hec Dargie, as it was found to be difficult for Trevans to run economically due to the after hours’ wage costs and the amount of competition from new service stations now in the district.
With its demolition also went the very long bike rack that had been a part of the site since the days when many staff rode bikes to work. It wasn’t till the late 1960s that cars became affordable enough for most staff to purchase. With the seventies came the arrival of the electronic era, which meant a complete update in almost everything operating electrically in the business. The first replacements were the office typewriters, then began the expense of updating workshop equipment, which included items like wheel alignment and balancing machines, and a four-post electrically operated hoist was purchased in 1971. This was the first of many electric hoists destined to replace the old air operated hoists and the days of lifting cars with floor jacks for under body work.
Business in these years was subjected to ever increasing pressures from wage increases and, to force these wage rises, unions organised power plant shutdowns or go-slows. To cope with the situation, management decided to purchase a 240 volt back-up generator from the old Casino picture theatre to act as an alternative power source during these blackout periods. From the day the generator became operational, all electrical union unrest ceased and left the generator redundant, until it was eventually disposed of some years later.
The Ford Motor Company was also caught up in this industrial unrest, when workers went out on strike for an indefinite period. The supply of new cars ceased and, as a month or more went by, many customers were lost to rival brands because of inability to supply. Even after this prolonged strike was over, there came the catch-up period, where restocking from Ford took a considerable time and left many Ford dealers in turmoil from lack of income.
As with many businesses through this troublesome period, even finance companies began to suffer with liquidity problems, to the point where motor dealers were required to pay a twenty-five dollar loading to submit finance papers just for approval. Usually these would be rejected due to government restrictions on the amount of transactions each finance company was allowed to process. So rapid were the wage rises during this period that the average wage-earning weeks required to buy a new car actually came down to a low thirty-two; this was compared to sixty in the 1960s. This situation continued until the flow-on wage costs caused an enormous catch up price spiral in the late 1970s.
In 1972, Trevans’ direct competitor but friendly rival, W Robinson and Son, the local GMH dealer, was sold to John Chant from Sydney. Trevans and Robinsons had traded virtually next to each other, through Lismore’s highs and lows, for near half a century. After the sale, Robinson’s salesman, Brian Pidcock, took on the Toyota agency, becoming another of the long-standing, family-owned motor businesses in Lismore.
In 1973, Ford released onto the Australian market the all-new, English designed, Cortina 4 and 6-cylinder range of vehicles. It was hoped this vehicle would help lift Ford dealers’ sales percentage against the onslaught of Japanese cars into the Australian market. Over the following decade, as much as Ford and its dealers tried to rectify the faults in the Cortina range, it eventually proved a futile exercise and the model was destined to be replaced by 1984 with a car sourced from a company in Japan, called the Mazda Motor Company, of which Ford had a twenty-five per cent share.
Through the early seventies, many electronic innovations were being introduced into medium-priced motorcars. With this came the need for expensive workshop diagnostic equipment and its continual updating, along with ongoing staff training to keep abreast in this now electronic age. 1974 would be remembered for its four flood scares, but the March 12.95 metre high flood would go down in history books as the most devastating flood since the 12.95 metre one in 1954. During the early hours of the morning, police sirens were used throughout the town to warn residents of the rapid flood waters’ rise. At Trevans, it soon became obvious that the available staff would not have sufficient time to lift all equipment and shift all vehicles to higher ground.
As the water rose in the building, the many items that could not be shifted in time, were loaded into cars before they, in turn, were placed on the various workshop hoists. Flood waters peaked in the workshop during the night, at nearly seven foot at the front doors. Following the flood, the council positioned height indicators, about the city on telegraph posts, to act as a benchmark for any further floods the city may have. An indication as to the rate of rise of this flood was seen by the amount of cars caught by the rising waters. As many as forty water-damaged cars were salvaged to the Trevan workshop alone, twenty-five of them NRMA write-offs.
During this same year, Trevan Car Sales handed back to Ford the heavy duty truck franchise, as it deemed the money required for stockholding of these trucks would affect the new car stockholding. This problem, together with Ford’s service equipment requirements and the size of the designated truck territory, was felt to be beyond the Trevan operation. 1974 saw the Australian Guarantee Corporation (AGC/TFC) opening their newly restructured finance facility in Keen Street, Lismore. Prior to this, the TFC section had handled the financing needs for Ford dealers. With the restructure, the TFC part of the company was dissolved and Australian Guarantee Corporation (AGC) took over all their dealers’ vehicle financing. This was also the year that NRMA introduced 2-way radios to their service vans.
During the troublesome 1970s, there was an Australian-wide slump in vehicle sales. To try and stimulate sales, the government decreased sales tax in 1976 from twenty-seven to seventeen per cent. As vehicle sales rose, they progressively increased sales tax by two-and-a-half per cent monthly, until it reached what they thought the market could stand. This initial ten per cent drop had the usual dramatic ramifications on values of late model used cars, which caused dealers specialising in late model, used car to substantially lower their stock values.
During 1976, Trevans salesman, Ross Riordan, took over as Sales Manager from the retiring Athol Livingstone, and in the same year the government introduced seventeen-and-a half per cent holiday wage loading, on top of the newly increased holiday period, from three to four weeks. This loading, and its flow-on wage costs’ effect, was a contentious issue with businesses at the time.
in 1977, the firm purchased an ex-government LWB F350 truck, and a fully-imported, USA-built ‘Holmes’ salvaging crane, to fit the F350. This rig now relegated the faithful, old Blitz tow truck to complete retirement, as it had basically been only the heavy-duty, back-up tow truck since the early seventies.
1978 proved to be a significant year in the way of vehicle design differences between GMH and Ford. The main difference came about when GMH decided to downsize their 5-seater Kingswood to a smaller vehicle called the ‘Commodore’. Why this decision by GMH was made is unknown but it seemed to coincide with the massive increase in fuel costs from overseas oil price rises. This price escalation of fuel created a bleak looking future for Ford’s big 5-seater Falcon car and the larger Fairlane and LTD models.
The fuel price suddenly reversed itself to become a windfall for Ford dealers, when OPEC oil prices returned to their original level. This left Falcon as the only genuine 5-seater, volume-selling family car available, as the 5-seater Chrysler Valiant had been discontinued in 1978.
Photo below: 1980, Jim and Mollie Flatley (left) retires after 44 years of working in Trevan’s Electrical Department.
Other include: from left, Beth & Bob Trevan, Leila Harmon, Yvonne Riordan, Ross Riordan, Marcia & John South, Marie & Brian McSweeney and Dick Trevan (Jnr) Dealer Principal.
1970 was a momentous year because the complete parcel of land on the eastern side of Keen Street, housing the used car yard, tractor sales and Lismore Car Wreckers’ town office, was sold to the NSW Ambulance Department for their new ambulance station. This sale meant the re-siting of the used car operation to the Carrington Street vacant land, on the western side of the panel department. This large area now required concrete paving plus the re-positioning of the used car cover from the old Keen Street yard.
Naturally, there was the risk of putting the used cars in a back street situation but the big plus was that the monies gained from the sale of the Keen Street site would be used to pay off the long-standing bank debt that had been a contentious issue with Trevan management and the bank since the new garage facility was constructed in 1948. Over the years, this debt had caused management to curtail important purchases due to company policy; if the money wasn’t in the bank, then the item would not be purchased.
In June 1970, the decision was made to demolish the corner service station to make way for an open display area for new cars. Over the preceding years the service station had been leased out to various operators, such as Vic Reynolds and Hec Dargie, as it was found to be difficult for Trevans to run economically due to the after hours’ wage costs and the amount of competition from new service stations now in the district.
With its demolition also went the very long bike rack that had been a part of the site since the days when many staff rode bikes to work. It wasn’t till the late 1960s that cars became affordable enough for most staff to purchase. With the seventies came the arrival of the electronic era, which meant a complete update in almost everything operating electrically in the business. The first replacements were the office typewriters, then began the expense of updating workshop equipment, which included items like wheel alignment and balancing machines, and a four-post electrically operated hoist was purchased in 1971. This was the first of many electric hoists destined to replace the old air operated hoists and the days of lifting cars with floor jacks for under body work.
Business in these years was subjected to ever increasing pressures from wage increases and, to force these wage rises, unions organised power plant shutdowns or go-slows. To cope with the situation, management decided to purchase a 240 volt back-up generator from the old Casino picture theatre to act as an alternative power source during these blackout periods. From the day the generator became operational, all electrical union unrest ceased and left the generator redundant, until it was eventually disposed of some years later.
The Ford Motor Company was also caught up in this industrial unrest, when workers went out on strike for an indefinite period. The supply of new cars ceased and, as a month or more went by, many customers were lost to rival brands because of inability to supply. Even after this prolonged strike was over, there came the catch-up period, where restocking from Ford took a considerable time and left many Ford dealers in turmoil from lack of income.
As with many businesses through this troublesome period, even finance companies began to suffer with liquidity problems, to the point where motor dealers were required to pay a twenty-five dollar loading to submit finance papers just for approval. Usually these would be rejected due to government restrictions on the amount of transactions each finance company was allowed to process. So rapid were the wage rises during this period that the average wage-earning weeks required to buy a new car actually came down to a low thirty-two; this was compared to sixty in the 1960s. This situation continued until the flow-on wage costs caused an enormous catch up price spiral in the late 1970s.
In 1972, Trevans’ direct competitor but friendly rival, W Robinson and Son, the local GMH dealer, was sold to John Chant from Sydney. Trevans and Robinsons had traded virtually next to each other, through Lismore’s highs and lows, for near half a century. After the sale, Robinson’s salesman, Brian Pidcock, took on the Toyota agency, becoming another of the long-standing, family-owned motor businesses in Lismore.
In 1973, Ford released onto the Australian market the all-new, English designed, Cortina 4 and 6-cylinder range of vehicles. It was hoped this vehicle would help lift Ford dealers’ sales percentage against the onslaught of Japanese cars into the Australian market. Over the following decade, as much as Ford and its dealers tried to rectify the faults in the Cortina range, it eventually proved a futile exercise and the model was destined to be replaced by 1984 with a car sourced from a company in Japan, called the Mazda Motor Company, of which Ford had a twenty-five per cent share.
Through the early seventies, many electronic innovations were being introduced into medium-priced motorcars. With this came the need for expensive workshop diagnostic equipment and its continual updating, along with ongoing staff training to keep abreast in this now electronic age. 1974 would be remembered for its four flood scares, but the March 12.95 metre high flood would go down in history books as the most devastating flood since the 12.95 metre one in 1954. During the early hours of the morning, police sirens were used throughout the town to warn residents of the rapid flood waters’ rise. At Trevans, it soon became obvious that the available staff would not have sufficient time to lift all equipment and shift all vehicles to higher ground.
As the water rose in the building, the many items that could not be shifted in time, were loaded into cars before they, in turn, were placed on the various workshop hoists. Flood waters peaked in the workshop during the night, at nearly seven foot at the front doors. Following the flood, the council positioned height indicators, about the city on telegraph posts, to act as a benchmark for any further floods the city may have. An indication as to the rate of rise of this flood was seen by the amount of cars caught by the rising waters. As many as forty water-damaged cars were salvaged to the Trevan workshop alone, twenty-five of them NRMA write-offs.
During this same year, Trevan Car Sales handed back to Ford the heavy duty truck franchise, as it deemed the money required for stockholding of these trucks would affect the new car stockholding. This problem, together with Ford’s service equipment requirements and the size of the designated truck territory, was felt to be beyond the Trevan operation. 1974 saw the Australian Guarantee Corporation (AGC/TFC) opening their newly restructured finance facility in Keen Street, Lismore. Prior to this, the TFC section had handled the financing needs for Ford dealers. With the restructure, the TFC part of the company was dissolved and Australian Guarantee Corporation (AGC) took over all their dealers’ vehicle financing. This was also the year that NRMA introduced 2-way radios to their service vans.
During the troublesome 1970s, there was an Australian-wide slump in vehicle sales. To try and stimulate sales, the government decreased sales tax in 1976 from twenty-seven to seventeen per cent. As vehicle sales rose, they progressively increased sales tax by two-and-a-half per cent monthly, until it reached what they thought the market could stand. This initial ten per cent drop had the usual dramatic ramifications on values of late model used cars, which caused dealers specialising in late model, used car to substantially lower their stock values.
During 1976, Trevans salesman, Ross Riordan, took over as Sales Manager from the retiring Athol Livingstone, and in the same year the government introduced seventeen-and-a half per cent holiday wage loading, on top of the newly increased holiday period, from three to four weeks. This loading, and its flow-on wage costs’ effect, was a contentious issue with businesses at the time.
in 1977, the firm purchased an ex-government LWB F350 truck, and a fully-imported, USA-built ‘Holmes’ salvaging crane, to fit the F350. This rig now relegated the faithful, old Blitz tow truck to complete retirement, as it had basically been only the heavy-duty, back-up tow truck since the early seventies.
1978 proved to be a significant year in the way of vehicle design differences between GMH and Ford. The main difference came about when GMH decided to downsize their 5-seater Kingswood to a smaller vehicle called the ‘Commodore’. Why this decision by GMH was made is unknown but it seemed to coincide with the massive increase in fuel costs from overseas oil price rises. This price escalation of fuel created a bleak looking future for Ford’s big 5-seater Falcon car and the larger Fairlane and LTD models.
The fuel price suddenly reversed itself to become a windfall for Ford dealers, when OPEC oil prices returned to their original level. This left Falcon as the only genuine 5-seater, volume-selling family car available, as the 5-seater Chrysler Valiant had been discontinued in 1978.
Photo below: 1980, Jim and Mollie Flatley (left) retires after 44 years of working in Trevan’s Electrical Department.
Other include: from left, Beth & Bob Trevan, Leila Harmon, Yvonne Riordan, Ross Riordan, Marcia & John South, Marie & Brian McSweeney and Dick Trevan (Jnr) Dealer Principal.
The 1980s - Ford becomes market leader
In 1983, Falcon sales progressed to eventually become market leader and in the same year, Falcon won the prestigious ‘Design Award of the Year’. All looked fine in the Ford camp as the English-designed Escorts and Cortinas had now been replaced with the much superior, Japanese, Mazda-based car, mainly being assembled in Ford’s Homebush plant. The 4-cylinder Laser came on the market in 1981 and was later joined by the bigger 4-cylinder Telstar in 1984. So successful were sales of these two cars, that Ford actually restricted Telstar supply to avoid sales affecting Falcon sales percentage.
In 1982, Trevans' original, plug-in switchboard, which dated back to 1948, was replaced with the most up-to-date, electronic Ericsson unit, which was to stay in operation till February 1997. The firm also purchased one of Lismore’s first brake disc surfacing machines. This item, together with the all-new electronic wheel aligner became great income earners for the workshop for the following decade.
During 1982, two house and land sites were purchased in Ballina Street, opposite the John Chant GMH vehicle display yard. These two purchases adjoined the original Trevan homestead property, now owned by RH Trevan Jnr. This property was destined as the next possible site for a Trevan operation, should the Keen Street site be looked upon as being too valuable or rates too high to economically site the motor business.
In 1986, the house site owned by Dr Rawle and situated next to the new car display area in Conway Street, was purchased, to be soon followed by the double-storey property next door, owned by radiologist, Dr Mutton. This building ideally suited the need to reposition the firm’s accounts department out of any further floods.
Throughout the 1984–86 period it became more than ever ‘dog-eat-dog’ in the new car selling game. Competition was so intense, with discount pricing and factory giveaways, that eventually this type of marketing started to have an effect on both manufacturers’ and dealers’ profits alike. Consequently, there came the problem of trying to establish the correct worth of trade-ins, with new car prices continually dropping.
In 1986, another hiccup hit the motor industry when the government passed an anti-pollution law, requiring all cars manufactured after February 1986 to only use unleaded fuel. From when this act was passed in 1985, the car-buying public virtually ceased purchasing cars that used leaded fuel, in the fear this fuel would escalate in price or be phased out. This reaction caused a twenty-three per cent drop in new car sales, together with the drop in the value of any cars that ran on leaded fuel. This buyer resistance situation lasted well after the unleaded car was introduced and caused potential pre-1986 used car buyers to hold off till they were satisfied that leaded fuel would still be around for some considerable time.
As the late 1988s approached, inflation in Australia began to run rampant. Wages escalated, car prices continued to rise so substantially that dealers found, when selling a new car, the profit obtained was not sufficient to outweigh the factory price increases of the replacements. This same problem also applied when dealers purchased late model, second-hand cars and came to replace them when sold. The escalating price of cars left many non-regular car buyers a price gap they could not breach, which went on to cause a marked percentage increase of older cars on the road.
This rampant inflation eventually caused the Australian economy to have what was known as the ‘recession we had to have’. The country went into decline and the economy has never really returned to what could be now called the flamboyant, exciting days of the motor trade during the late 1970–80s.
Trevans would sometimes attend two or three city auctions per week, as did other local used car yard owners like Neil Pollard, Garry McCann, Brian Pidcock, John Chant, Ron Fiore, Ron Burrows, Jim and Charlie Johnson, Alan Mason, Winston Jackson, Bruce Watson, Max Maher, Barry Nicolas and Barry Arentz. Many of these car dealers actually purchased their own aeroplanes, to assist in the pursuit of used cars to keep up with demand by the eager buying public.
In 1988, Ford introduced the all-new, EA range of Falcon vehicles. The vehicle was rushed into the marketplace to be ahead of the new GMH Commodore release. This move was much against the Ford engineering department’s recommended introductory time and not only did the Falcon still incorporate the old style, 3-speed Borg Warner auto transmission, but included still un-rectified, steering and body faults that were soon to give the car such a poor image that Ford, together with their dealers, were to feel the ramification of this marketing ploy for many years to come.
Photo below: 1981, NRMA Road Service staff at Lismore. Left to right: Steve Pittman, Mark Mckendrick, Col Brynt, Wayne Johnston, David Knight, Pat McGrath, Peter Wagner, Gary Innes, Rod McGregor, Michael Kena. Behind: Brian Worthington, Kieth Hosking, Brian McSweeney, Jim Flatley, Terry Harmon and Ron Orlipp.
In 1983, Falcon sales progressed to eventually become market leader and in the same year, Falcon won the prestigious ‘Design Award of the Year’. All looked fine in the Ford camp as the English-designed Escorts and Cortinas had now been replaced with the much superior, Japanese, Mazda-based car, mainly being assembled in Ford’s Homebush plant. The 4-cylinder Laser came on the market in 1981 and was later joined by the bigger 4-cylinder Telstar in 1984. So successful were sales of these two cars, that Ford actually restricted Telstar supply to avoid sales affecting Falcon sales percentage.
In 1982, Trevans' original, plug-in switchboard, which dated back to 1948, was replaced with the most up-to-date, electronic Ericsson unit, which was to stay in operation till February 1997. The firm also purchased one of Lismore’s first brake disc surfacing machines. This item, together with the all-new electronic wheel aligner became great income earners for the workshop for the following decade.
During 1982, two house and land sites were purchased in Ballina Street, opposite the John Chant GMH vehicle display yard. These two purchases adjoined the original Trevan homestead property, now owned by RH Trevan Jnr. This property was destined as the next possible site for a Trevan operation, should the Keen Street site be looked upon as being too valuable or rates too high to economically site the motor business.
In 1986, the house site owned by Dr Rawle and situated next to the new car display area in Conway Street, was purchased, to be soon followed by the double-storey property next door, owned by radiologist, Dr Mutton. This building ideally suited the need to reposition the firm’s accounts department out of any further floods.
Throughout the 1984–86 period it became more than ever ‘dog-eat-dog’ in the new car selling game. Competition was so intense, with discount pricing and factory giveaways, that eventually this type of marketing started to have an effect on both manufacturers’ and dealers’ profits alike. Consequently, there came the problem of trying to establish the correct worth of trade-ins, with new car prices continually dropping.
In 1986, another hiccup hit the motor industry when the government passed an anti-pollution law, requiring all cars manufactured after February 1986 to only use unleaded fuel. From when this act was passed in 1985, the car-buying public virtually ceased purchasing cars that used leaded fuel, in the fear this fuel would escalate in price or be phased out. This reaction caused a twenty-three per cent drop in new car sales, together with the drop in the value of any cars that ran on leaded fuel. This buyer resistance situation lasted well after the unleaded car was introduced and caused potential pre-1986 used car buyers to hold off till they were satisfied that leaded fuel would still be around for some considerable time.
As the late 1988s approached, inflation in Australia began to run rampant. Wages escalated, car prices continued to rise so substantially that dealers found, when selling a new car, the profit obtained was not sufficient to outweigh the factory price increases of the replacements. This same problem also applied when dealers purchased late model, second-hand cars and came to replace them when sold. The escalating price of cars left many non-regular car buyers a price gap they could not breach, which went on to cause a marked percentage increase of older cars on the road.
This rampant inflation eventually caused the Australian economy to have what was known as the ‘recession we had to have’. The country went into decline and the economy has never really returned to what could be now called the flamboyant, exciting days of the motor trade during the late 1970–80s.
Trevans would sometimes attend two or three city auctions per week, as did other local used car yard owners like Neil Pollard, Garry McCann, Brian Pidcock, John Chant, Ron Fiore, Ron Burrows, Jim and Charlie Johnson, Alan Mason, Winston Jackson, Bruce Watson, Max Maher, Barry Nicolas and Barry Arentz. Many of these car dealers actually purchased their own aeroplanes, to assist in the pursuit of used cars to keep up with demand by the eager buying public.
In 1988, Ford introduced the all-new, EA range of Falcon vehicles. The vehicle was rushed into the marketplace to be ahead of the new GMH Commodore release. This move was much against the Ford engineering department’s recommended introductory time and not only did the Falcon still incorporate the old style, 3-speed Borg Warner auto transmission, but included still un-rectified, steering and body faults that were soon to give the car such a poor image that Ford, together with their dealers, were to feel the ramification of this marketing ploy for many years to come.
Photo below: 1981, NRMA Road Service staff at Lismore. Left to right: Steve Pittman, Mark Mckendrick, Col Brynt, Wayne Johnston, David Knight, Pat McGrath, Peter Wagner, Gary Innes, Rod McGregor, Michael Kena. Behind: Brian Worthington, Kieth Hosking, Brian McSweeney, Jim Flatley, Terry Harmon and Ron Orlipp.
The 1990s - Fleet Management Specialists, Government reducing tariffs
With the arrival of the 1990s and its recession, vehicle sales dropped by twenty-three per cent. This, together with the most severe drought for many a decade, caused almost all business trading profits to dramatically drop. To try and handle this recession situation, the Trevans management looked firstly at bringing down wage expenses by re-siting the used car department from Carrington Street to the revamped (ex Rawle) site, next to the new car yard in Conway Street. This hopefully would allow staff cuts, by utilising both new and used car sales staff to sell both types of vehicles.
By the mid 1990s, Australian motor dealers were starting to witness vehicle manufacturers bypassing the traditional dealer franchise trading agreement, and dealing direct with fleet prospects themselves. When this happened, vehicle manufacturers gave their participating dealers fixed dollar amounts to pre-deliver the car before the dealer delivered it to the manufacturer’s client. With this ever increasing marketing trend came the advent of fleet management specialists, who began managing the transaction completely between the manufacturer and the fleet buyer. These specialists also arranged, with participating dealers, a vehicle maintenance cost figure, which would be included in the deal to the manufacturer’s client.
In May 1991, the rear half of the used car yard was covered to help sales operations during hot or wet climatic conditions, and to also have quick access to cover during hail storms. As the recession continued through the early 1990s, the government began trying all types of policy adjustments in an attempt to instil business confidence throughout Australia. All efforts seemed to fail as businesses found trading continually harder. In an effort to increase car sales and bolster their much needed car sales tax income, the government decided that, by lowering duties on imported motor vehicles, this would in turn lower the retail price of cars and hopefully increase vehicle sales. This policy of lowering duty was done at an amount of two-and-a-half per cent each year, until it bottomed at a fifteen per cent tariff amount by the year 2000.
Another government policy that created great concern with Australian vehicle manufacturers, like Ford and GMH with their Australian-assembled Falcons and Holdens, came from the government decision to gradually lower the monetary tariff assistance they gave to these manufacturers on their locally assembled vehicles.
This lowering of assistance, along with the lowering of import duty on imported cars, created future planning uncertainties for these manufacturers. Because of these policies there soon came the end to production of Australian-assembled cars like Laser and Telstar from Ford, Astra from GMH and Pulsar from Nissan Australia. These uncertainties greatly increased when overseas vehicle manufacturers began saturating the Australian market with Korean government-assisted cars.
With the basic Falcon and Holden six-cylinder sedans now taking forty-four working weeks of average wages to purchase, the influx of these low priced, Korean built cars was soon to cause a decline in purchases of these traditional Australian cars by the public. To compete with these low cost cars, exported from Korea and Japan, the Ford Motor Company worldwide found it increasingly difficult to make profits from car manufacturing and began sourcing products from other manufacturers such as Kia in Korea, Mazda in Japan and making vehicles themselves in Thailand and Eastern Asia.
Ford also looked to making profit by expansion of their finance company, Ford Credit, by creating numerous finance sales structures for the Ford Dealer Network. One system devised, enabled the new car purchaser to only pay finance charges on half the car’s cost and, in two year’s time, hand back the car to the company at a guaranteed buy-back figure. This finance arm of Ford was soon copied by many other manufacturers around the world. In 1994, the firm’s accountant, Terry Harmon, retired after holding this position since 1966. His position was taken by Neil Davison, who resigned just twelve months later. Terry returned for a short period until Geoff Soul from Sydney took the accounting position.
Dick retires and Bob becomes new Dealer Principal
By this time it became evident that Dick’s health had deteriorated and his mental health circumstances began to concern the other directors, together with staff and Ford Motor Company, as sales figures and morale in all departments continued getting lower and lower, but more so with Ford as they were not receiving any replies to their letters. Much as Dick continued to deny being in ill health to the other directors, Bob and Jack Trevan, there came the time for them to ask Dick’s partner, Judy Granger, to plead with Dick to have him step down from his position of dealer principal and the holder of the companies ford dealer franchise agreement. Eventually Dick did agree and in turn, there then came the need for the other directors to start discussing with Ford the future of the eighty-six year old Trevan family motor business.
After lot of discussion following Dick’s decision to step down, there seemed five possible ways to handle the situation. First to sell the business in its run down state. Second, keep it and rebuild it up with an appointed manager also holding the dealer principal status, together with holding the Ford franchise agreement.
Thirdly, have a manager and one of the directors holding the dealer principal and the ford dealer franchise agreement papers. Fourth, to have one of the directors run the business as well as hold the dealer principal title, together with the Ford dealer agreement, together with having a business manager to assist him. Fifth, to have Dick, the major shareholder, stay as a director with any of the above suggestions, but would need to have his partner, Judy Granger proxy for him.
Finally, it was decided to go ahead with the buyout of Dick and have one of the two remaining directors to be Dealer Principal and also hold the Ford dealer agreement. To have this structure work it required the representative having to meet Ford’s strict criteria to hold the above positions. With that now settled, a bank deal was found to borrow in the vicinity of $2,000,000 for the buyout and unknown expenses that were obviously going to be needed to bring the run down business back up to the desired level.
Eventually it was decided on the National Bank of Australia (NAB) as they came up with the best repayment structure and monies were available quickly should it be needed. With the money lender now sorted, it was thought wise to also try and get extra monies to purchase the shares of RH Trevans Snr’s late brother Bill. His shares were held in his estate by his children, Barbara and Bill Jnr, both of whom lived in Queensland.
A single share value was established in the way of dividing the total number of shares into the asset value of the businesses. Negotiations took place with Dick and Judy and in turn a deal was agreed on. Barbara and Bill Trevan also agreed on the same share value deal which now left only Ford to agree on the dealer principal and franchise holder.
After consultation between directors, Bob Trevan was elected to be the one submitted to Ford to be dealer principal and also hold the Ford dealer franchise agreement. Then a major problem arose. Ford’s then policy on this position required the person to hold Ford’s training experience or hold a tertiary degree in business management. Even though Bob had spent his whole working life in almost every department of the business, he was still in Ford’s eyes a "hands on person’’.
After much deliberation, Ford decided to put Bob on a three month trial basis which eventually was served out in the accepted time frame. Dick then stepped down from his Dealer Principal position and the holding of Trevan Car Sales dealer franchise agreement to the Ford representatives in the presence of the company solicitor, Elton Stone, in Lismore, NSW.
With the arrival of the 1990s and its recession, vehicle sales dropped by twenty-three per cent. This, together with the most severe drought for many a decade, caused almost all business trading profits to dramatically drop. To try and handle this recession situation, the Trevans management looked firstly at bringing down wage expenses by re-siting the used car department from Carrington Street to the revamped (ex Rawle) site, next to the new car yard in Conway Street. This hopefully would allow staff cuts, by utilising both new and used car sales staff to sell both types of vehicles.
By the mid 1990s, Australian motor dealers were starting to witness vehicle manufacturers bypassing the traditional dealer franchise trading agreement, and dealing direct with fleet prospects themselves. When this happened, vehicle manufacturers gave their participating dealers fixed dollar amounts to pre-deliver the car before the dealer delivered it to the manufacturer’s client. With this ever increasing marketing trend came the advent of fleet management specialists, who began managing the transaction completely between the manufacturer and the fleet buyer. These specialists also arranged, with participating dealers, a vehicle maintenance cost figure, which would be included in the deal to the manufacturer’s client.
In May 1991, the rear half of the used car yard was covered to help sales operations during hot or wet climatic conditions, and to also have quick access to cover during hail storms. As the recession continued through the early 1990s, the government began trying all types of policy adjustments in an attempt to instil business confidence throughout Australia. All efforts seemed to fail as businesses found trading continually harder. In an effort to increase car sales and bolster their much needed car sales tax income, the government decided that, by lowering duties on imported motor vehicles, this would in turn lower the retail price of cars and hopefully increase vehicle sales. This policy of lowering duty was done at an amount of two-and-a-half per cent each year, until it bottomed at a fifteen per cent tariff amount by the year 2000.
Another government policy that created great concern with Australian vehicle manufacturers, like Ford and GMH with their Australian-assembled Falcons and Holdens, came from the government decision to gradually lower the monetary tariff assistance they gave to these manufacturers on their locally assembled vehicles.
This lowering of assistance, along with the lowering of import duty on imported cars, created future planning uncertainties for these manufacturers. Because of these policies there soon came the end to production of Australian-assembled cars like Laser and Telstar from Ford, Astra from GMH and Pulsar from Nissan Australia. These uncertainties greatly increased when overseas vehicle manufacturers began saturating the Australian market with Korean government-assisted cars.
With the basic Falcon and Holden six-cylinder sedans now taking forty-four working weeks of average wages to purchase, the influx of these low priced, Korean built cars was soon to cause a decline in purchases of these traditional Australian cars by the public. To compete with these low cost cars, exported from Korea and Japan, the Ford Motor Company worldwide found it increasingly difficult to make profits from car manufacturing and began sourcing products from other manufacturers such as Kia in Korea, Mazda in Japan and making vehicles themselves in Thailand and Eastern Asia.
Ford also looked to making profit by expansion of their finance company, Ford Credit, by creating numerous finance sales structures for the Ford Dealer Network. One system devised, enabled the new car purchaser to only pay finance charges on half the car’s cost and, in two year’s time, hand back the car to the company at a guaranteed buy-back figure. This finance arm of Ford was soon copied by many other manufacturers around the world. In 1994, the firm’s accountant, Terry Harmon, retired after holding this position since 1966. His position was taken by Neil Davison, who resigned just twelve months later. Terry returned for a short period until Geoff Soul from Sydney took the accounting position.
Dick retires and Bob becomes new Dealer Principal
By this time it became evident that Dick’s health had deteriorated and his mental health circumstances began to concern the other directors, together with staff and Ford Motor Company, as sales figures and morale in all departments continued getting lower and lower, but more so with Ford as they were not receiving any replies to their letters. Much as Dick continued to deny being in ill health to the other directors, Bob and Jack Trevan, there came the time for them to ask Dick’s partner, Judy Granger, to plead with Dick to have him step down from his position of dealer principal and the holder of the companies ford dealer franchise agreement. Eventually Dick did agree and in turn, there then came the need for the other directors to start discussing with Ford the future of the eighty-six year old Trevan family motor business.
After lot of discussion following Dick’s decision to step down, there seemed five possible ways to handle the situation. First to sell the business in its run down state. Second, keep it and rebuild it up with an appointed manager also holding the dealer principal status, together with holding the Ford franchise agreement.
Thirdly, have a manager and one of the directors holding the dealer principal and the ford dealer franchise agreement papers. Fourth, to have one of the directors run the business as well as hold the dealer principal title, together with the Ford dealer agreement, together with having a business manager to assist him. Fifth, to have Dick, the major shareholder, stay as a director with any of the above suggestions, but would need to have his partner, Judy Granger proxy for him.
Finally, it was decided to go ahead with the buyout of Dick and have one of the two remaining directors to be Dealer Principal and also hold the Ford dealer agreement. To have this structure work it required the representative having to meet Ford’s strict criteria to hold the above positions. With that now settled, a bank deal was found to borrow in the vicinity of $2,000,000 for the buyout and unknown expenses that were obviously going to be needed to bring the run down business back up to the desired level.
Eventually it was decided on the National Bank of Australia (NAB) as they came up with the best repayment structure and monies were available quickly should it be needed. With the money lender now sorted, it was thought wise to also try and get extra monies to purchase the shares of RH Trevans Snr’s late brother Bill. His shares were held in his estate by his children, Barbara and Bill Jnr, both of whom lived in Queensland.
A single share value was established in the way of dividing the total number of shares into the asset value of the businesses. Negotiations took place with Dick and Judy and in turn a deal was agreed on. Barbara and Bill Trevan also agreed on the same share value deal which now left only Ford to agree on the dealer principal and franchise holder.
After consultation between directors, Bob Trevan was elected to be the one submitted to Ford to be dealer principal and also hold the Ford dealer franchise agreement. Then a major problem arose. Ford’s then policy on this position required the person to hold Ford’s training experience or hold a tertiary degree in business management. Even though Bob had spent his whole working life in almost every department of the business, he was still in Ford’s eyes a "hands on person’’.
After much deliberation, Ford decided to put Bob on a three month trial basis which eventually was served out in the accepted time frame. Dick then stepped down from his Dealer Principal position and the holding of Trevan Car Sales dealer franchise agreement to the Ford representatives in the presence of the company solicitor, Elton Stone, in Lismore, NSW.
Trevan Ford Staff - Lismore and Ballina NSW. Photo taken in July 2005
Succession Planning - New Dealer Principal takes over in July 2005
In 2004 at a Ford Dealer meeting in Port Douglas in Queensland, all dealers were made aware of our age situation (myself included at 68 yrs) and were told we must all arrange for a successor to be put in place in case something unforeseen happened to us as Dealer Principals.
With this sobering requirement by Ford, I asked my three sons and Jack Trevan’s son if any were prepared to go to university to gain a Business Degree in order to meet Ford’s requirement for a Dealer Principal position. Sadly, there was a negative reply from all.
It was not long before a rumour was spread that I was about to retire. Unbeknownst to me, there had been two in- house parties visiting Ford in Brisbane to put their hands up, with one as the Dealer Principal and the other as his Business manager.
On finding out who they were, I immediately contacted Ford to give them the story of what was going on, and to insist that they not even contemplate these parties as I knew it would result in the loss of all the top position staff members due to there already being a dislike of the pair in the company.
With Ford’s requirement for a successor to be in place by all Ford Dealer Principals, it had me at a loss as to what to do in order to take the Trevan company through the next 5 years to its Centenary celebrations.
Maybe I could sell just my shares in the Trevan Car Sales company. This company held the Ford Dealer franchise agreement alone. If I did this, then maybe it would be better to sell the whole three companies and retire to the slow lane and get on with enjoying life?
Following discussion with Beth (wife), it was decided to sell the whole three companies to maximise on the knowledge that Ford dealerships were now on the mend. It was a good time to sell as Ford was assuring a 16% market potential by 2006. With the decision to sell the three companies, Beth and an accountant friend, Robert Lovell, from the companies' former chartered accountancy firm - Thomas Noble & Russell - helped put together a prospectus for interested buyers. This prospectus was based around the potential for the firm to come up to have a 16% market potential which the companies' facilities could handle well.
A prospective buyer was soon found and his name was submitted to Ford for approval to their requirements of a dealer. Upon their approval, nine months of negotiating took place to create a ‘’HAND SHAKE DEAL" that is talked about to this day. Money changed hands and Brian Glynn Ford, (ex-Ford dealer, Lilydale, Victoria), John Egglestone, and Andrew Bing took over the then 95 year old Trevan business on July 30th 2005.
Photo below: Bob and Beth Trevan (left) meet up with Edsel Ford (Henry Ford II Grandson) in Detroit in 2005.
In 2004 at a Ford Dealer meeting in Port Douglas in Queensland, all dealers were made aware of our age situation (myself included at 68 yrs) and were told we must all arrange for a successor to be put in place in case something unforeseen happened to us as Dealer Principals.
With this sobering requirement by Ford, I asked my three sons and Jack Trevan’s son if any were prepared to go to university to gain a Business Degree in order to meet Ford’s requirement for a Dealer Principal position. Sadly, there was a negative reply from all.
It was not long before a rumour was spread that I was about to retire. Unbeknownst to me, there had been two in- house parties visiting Ford in Brisbane to put their hands up, with one as the Dealer Principal and the other as his Business manager.
On finding out who they were, I immediately contacted Ford to give them the story of what was going on, and to insist that they not even contemplate these parties as I knew it would result in the loss of all the top position staff members due to there already being a dislike of the pair in the company.
With Ford’s requirement for a successor to be in place by all Ford Dealer Principals, it had me at a loss as to what to do in order to take the Trevan company through the next 5 years to its Centenary celebrations.
Maybe I could sell just my shares in the Trevan Car Sales company. This company held the Ford Dealer franchise agreement alone. If I did this, then maybe it would be better to sell the whole three companies and retire to the slow lane and get on with enjoying life?
Following discussion with Beth (wife), it was decided to sell the whole three companies to maximise on the knowledge that Ford dealerships were now on the mend. It was a good time to sell as Ford was assuring a 16% market potential by 2006. With the decision to sell the three companies, Beth and an accountant friend, Robert Lovell, from the companies' former chartered accountancy firm - Thomas Noble & Russell - helped put together a prospectus for interested buyers. This prospectus was based around the potential for the firm to come up to have a 16% market potential which the companies' facilities could handle well.
A prospective buyer was soon found and his name was submitted to Ford for approval to their requirements of a dealer. Upon their approval, nine months of negotiating took place to create a ‘’HAND SHAKE DEAL" that is talked about to this day. Money changed hands and Brian Glynn Ford, (ex-Ford dealer, Lilydale, Victoria), John Egglestone, and Andrew Bing took over the then 95 year old Trevan business on July 30th 2005.
Photo below: Bob and Beth Trevan (left) meet up with Edsel Ford (Henry Ford II Grandson) in Detroit in 2005.
Summary
RH (Snr) started the garage in 1910 as RH Trevan Motor Engineers in Molesworth Street Lismore, NSW, at the age of twenty-four and expanded into other towns over the subsequent years. These included Ballina, Casino, Kyogle, Murwillumbah, and Mullumbimby in NSW. The following branches were later closed: Casino, Kyogle, Murwillumbah, and Mullumbimby, and only Ballina remained open. Between 1910 and 1930 RH sold over 3000 new cars.
Dick Trevan Jnr (who began as an apprentice mechanic in 1943), basically took over running the business from RH Snr in the late 1950s due to RH's poor health. Dick stepped down as the Dealer Principal in February 1996.
The ownership of the business was passed over to Bob and Jack Trevan (brothers of Dick Jnr), on a 50/50 basis, even though Bob had the required 51% ownership to hold the Dealer Principal status. The situation then arose of Ford Motor Company accepting Bob Trevan as Dealer Principal. With Ford's criteria for Dealer Principals, it looked as though Bob would not be accepted because he was classed as a "hands on person" without the administration and computer training to Ford's required level.
It was then agreed to give Bob a three month trial. This took place, and all papers were duly signed and approved in March 1996 at Ford Head Office in Campbellfield, Melbourne. Bob Trevan ran the business as Dealer Principal with approx. 65 staff for the next 10 years and sold over 400 cars each year before the business was sold in July 2005.
The business and freehold was sold to Andrew Bing, who left behind a successful Ford dealership in Lillydale in Melbourne, Victoria. The TREVAN business was then sold to the Frizelle Group of Companies in 2017, which is part of the Sydney Peter Warren Automotive Group.
Wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Motor_Company USA Wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Australia Northernriversford.com.au
Written by: Bob Trevan (Son of RH) [email protected] Photos from Bob and was completed in May 2020.
Note: Edsel Ford II (Director at Ford USA) worked in Australia at Ford between 1978 - 1980 in Sales & Marketing.
RH (Snr) started the garage in 1910 as RH Trevan Motor Engineers in Molesworth Street Lismore, NSW, at the age of twenty-four and expanded into other towns over the subsequent years. These included Ballina, Casino, Kyogle, Murwillumbah, and Mullumbimby in NSW. The following branches were later closed: Casino, Kyogle, Murwillumbah, and Mullumbimby, and only Ballina remained open. Between 1910 and 1930 RH sold over 3000 new cars.
Dick Trevan Jnr (who began as an apprentice mechanic in 1943), basically took over running the business from RH Snr in the late 1950s due to RH's poor health. Dick stepped down as the Dealer Principal in February 1996.
The ownership of the business was passed over to Bob and Jack Trevan (brothers of Dick Jnr), on a 50/50 basis, even though Bob had the required 51% ownership to hold the Dealer Principal status. The situation then arose of Ford Motor Company accepting Bob Trevan as Dealer Principal. With Ford's criteria for Dealer Principals, it looked as though Bob would not be accepted because he was classed as a "hands on person" without the administration and computer training to Ford's required level.
It was then agreed to give Bob a three month trial. This took place, and all papers were duly signed and approved in March 1996 at Ford Head Office in Campbellfield, Melbourne. Bob Trevan ran the business as Dealer Principal with approx. 65 staff for the next 10 years and sold over 400 cars each year before the business was sold in July 2005.
The business and freehold was sold to Andrew Bing, who left behind a successful Ford dealership in Lillydale in Melbourne, Victoria. The TREVAN business was then sold to the Frizelle Group of Companies in 2017, which is part of the Sydney Peter Warren Automotive Group.
Wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Motor_Company USA Wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Australia Northernriversford.com.au
Written by: Bob Trevan (Son of RH) [email protected] Photos from Bob and was completed in May 2020.
Note: Edsel Ford II (Director at Ford USA) worked in Australia at Ford between 1978 - 1980 in Sales & Marketing.
