G'day all, I thought I'd give everyone a laugh with my thoughts on when Tilley started selling in Australia. I invite all to throw rocks at me but please, produce proof I'm wrong as you commence throwing. I don't have any hard proof just observations that may or may not be correct. I really don't mind being mocked for my lack on knowledge on the subject and shown proof. I have virtually exhausted all avenues open to me to find the facts and this is my last ditch effort for those that know to help me out. I believe Tilley were first sold in the Northern Territory from 1926. I believe the model was a PL52 with Mica or Glass globe optional. I think they were sold until 1932. I don't believe Tilley were sold in Australia again until around 1936 in New South Wales and for a very short time in South Australia. They then weren't sold in South Australia until 1938. The rest of the states and territories are as follows. Victoria 1937 Queensland 1937 Western Australia 1937 Tasmania 1938 Australian Capital Territory 1938 I think when they began in the 30's they were selling the EX4 and some R1 radiators and the R22 twin burner radiator. Be kind.
Ah, Mick, just saw your mail. I got my impression it must be a PL52 from the CPL reference library and the date of 1926.
I forgot to include the table lamp TL10 I just went through some records and the AL11 was being sold in '37
I will say that during the 'dark age' of Tilley '32 - '36 in Australia, there was a bloke selling R1s sporadically in South Australia. I'm also convinced the Australian government supplied lamps to the armed forces and also state governments, mentioned in a previous post, most likely supplied railway and or emergency services with FL6's and other Tilley products. It's more there was no active importer/distributor for the general public during those years.
Despite Nettlefold and Kopsen announcement that because of import restrictions of Tilley they would be making their own lamps I don't believe that actually occurred - the Kayen brand - for a further 5 years. Nettlefold & Kopsen continued to import Tilleys right through the war years. During the war, thepublic was again in a 'dark age' of Tilley as the armed forces were to be supplied first and if there were ever any left over from a shipment - there was but that was rare - the country areas of Australia had preferential treatment of Tilley supplies over their city counterparts. In those country areas, it was a case of placing yourself on a waiting list at an agents store. You couldn't just walk into a country store and buy a Tilley. You had to pre-order and when your turn came you could collect a lamp. I imagine most had to wait possibly years before securing a lamp.
I believe Kayen commenced selling around the middle of '45. I think the reason there was 5 years between Nettlefold and Kopsen announcing they would be making their own brand and actually doing it was because they couldn't get permission or factory space to actually commence production. The Prime Minister gave a wartime position to a minister that gave that minister absolute power over industry. If he commandeered a factory and converted them to making munitions and other armed forces needs, that was it, there was no appeal. I can't see Nettlefold and Kopsen getting the green light to start a company that intended to use brass or even steel as the main component of their product. That is why, even with a dire public shortage of Tilley products they couldn't step in and fill the void until '45 when it was clear the war was slowing down. I have seen a shipping manifest that would have been music to Kayens ears. 8 containers of Tilley lamps being exported from Australia to the Asian region as part of a relief package. No wonder Aladdin were making 6,000 lamps a week by the end of '45.
Good on you Matty for this work regarding Kayens. They are an important part of the Australian kero products history and it seems there are enough people around both here and overseas interested in the Australian productions or special imports.
Iain, I know you and Anthony take a keen interest in Kayens as I do. I hope others do as well and will set me straight where needed. I'm not 18. I haven't 30 years left in me to slowly gather the pieces. I'm willing to offer thoughts. If those thoughts stimulates debate on the subject and I'm proved wrong in most areas, so be it. My end goal is to try and put as much together as possible with the help of others and be as accurate as possible. I do feel Kayens and Tilley have a unique, almost intertwined, history. So mentioning Tilley and Kayen in the same topic should be considered acceptable in my opinion.
Matty, I find your thoughts very interesting too - even though I am far away from Australia. In general, Australia seems to be full of mysteries for me to discover, not least the ones including lamps of all kinds. Right after the war, so I thought, Australia decided to close its borders for import - and that opened the home market for Kayen. But I see Tilley adverts from the late 1940'ies, so Tilley must have been officially sold during those years? And adverts from the mid-1950'ies speak about import restrictions, which i though would be over by then. Could you or someone else who read this maybe help me get this thing about the import restrictions straight? When was it, and what was affected by it?
It wasn't import restrictions during the war years, it was export restrictions. Australia banned the export of a large range of raw materials and foodstuff during the war. The reason was twofold. Firstly, Australia were producing vast amounts of munitions for itself and it's allies. Raw materials were being consumed here then exported to allies in the shape of a finished product. Foodstuff was need to feed not only the population but it's troops and it's allies troops. Secondly, as the outcome of the war was not predictable in the early years of the war, Australia were stockpiling raw materials and provisions like canned food, wheat, wool and emergency products including kerosene lamps for it's own use if needed and then for relief efforts to other countries if the outcome of the war went our way. Tilleys' were available in limited numbers to the public in the first year of the war. Supplies of them were getting through from Britain. There was a lull in the war in Europe after the German blitzkrieg as the war was being fought in Africa. That changed when Germany chose to reignite their efforts in Europe by attacking England - the Battle of Britain, mid '40. That is when Tilleys' became difficult for the public to obtain in Australia. As Tilley were supplying the Australian armed forces plus the states emergency services it was only what was left over from shipments that the public got to buy. Then they were mostly sold in the country areas of Australia. I would hazard a guess and say supplies of Tilleys' would have been quite variable, depending on what shipping was sunk, and if those ships were carrying Tilleys'. The import bans came near the end and after the war. Because Australia had stockpiled the previously mentioned stuffs, to protect industry here, imports bans were placed. It would have been disastrous for the Australian economy to not have such bans in place as 10's of thousands of Australian would have found themselves out of work. Tilley imports were on the banned list. Tilleys' were available after the war, again in limited numbers, not because they were being imported but because stockpiles of them were being released during army dispersal sales. I have seen such a dispersal sale where both Tilley and Aladdin lamps were offered for auction by the Commonwealth. The Australian governments import ban was working when you consider Kayen started production about the middle of '45. That meant Australian workers remained employed and that was the whole point of the import ban. Obviously companies and industry sectors other than Kayen benefited. By late '45 Aladdin were producing 6,000 lamps a week themselves.
Whilst not related to Tilley nor Kayen this advertisement I found in trove is a perfect example of civilian factories being commandeered for the war effort. This ad dates from 24th Feb 1945 PETROL Irons, pumpless type, now being manufactured for civilian use, limited supplies available. Doughty's Pearl Light Co.. 45 Victoria st.. Melbourne. WX1311.
Lamps that were being used by Australian troops in WW11 that were produced in Australia. Known so far. Coleman: - Limited public supply Tilley: - Very limited public supply. Austramax: - Public supply unknown at this time. Handi: - Extremely limited public supply. Aladdin: - Very limited public supply.
I've been told (I won't ever mention whom) that Jim Dicks' Tilley book states that Tilley began in Australia in 1933. I stand by my statement that Tilley began in Australia in 1926. Fred Thompson had the license and was the first man to import Tilley for sale in Australia.
That 1933 date in the book is just a page extract dated 1933 not when Tilley started importing to Australia.Book doesn;t say when Tilley started exporting to aust. Bob .
Thanks Bob, I believe it was verbally said as well. I am confident Tilley weren't being sold in Australia in 1933.
