Salop Leisure, together with caravan historian Andrew Jenkinson, have created a new interactive website to showcase the entire history of the caravan.

The micro-site’s interactive timeline explores the people, the models and the manufacturers that have changed the industry and influenced the tourers we see today; beginning with The Wanderer, the world’s first leisure caravan, and ending with The Sealander, the world’s first aquatic caravan, it tells quite a story – view it here.

Did you know?

The term ‘caravan’ is derived from the Moroccan term ‘karwan’, meaning a group of desert travellers. It was then adopted by Britain in the 19^th century and redefined as ‘vehicle’ (the word ‘van’ was also taken to refer to particular kinds of box-shaped transport vehicles).
Prior to the 1930s, caravans were more or less solely for the upper class. However, during the course of the years following that, caravans became less elitist and were relished by middle class families too.

Get all this information and more!

The two have also joined forces to produce this fantastic infographic outlining the industry’s key moments over the years.

Join the conversation!

In your experience, how have things changed over the years in the caravanning world? Share your thoughts and stories on the history of the caravan in the comment box below.