I work as a self employed Rawleighs dealer I think in about 1970 to 1972. this involved going door-to-door selling the Rawleighs products. I distinctly remember having to get a business reference before they would give me credit to buy their items for resale.

I use my uncle Edd, as the reference as he was a self-employed grocer. I remember Mum suggesting that I use him as a reference.

I took on this role so I could put myself through school. Preston institute of technology at the time. it gave me enough money to be less dependent on my parents and able to save up to buy a few motorbikes.

it was a follow on from when I used to mow lawns and wash cars 4 extra money. always prefer to be self employed.

I didn't realise until I read the Wikipedia article below that Rawleighs started in Melbourne in 1923.

but I do distinctly remember the concept of try before you buy, that rawleighs pushed. I would show someone a product ask them to try it, by the time I returned in a week, and if they did not like it, I would simply take it back, and it will cost them nothing. basically it was giving them credit. and I was inturn getting credit from Rawleighs.

in the years that I used this, I only had one person ever return the product.

I distinctly remember the Rawleighs newsletter saying that people will buy twice as much on credit, than they will, if they had to pay for it at the time. I think that concept has even escalated further today.

Eack Monday, I will go on my motorbike to the Rawleighs factory, in Dawson Street Brunswick and pick up the items I had already got orders for. I would take the items back to uncles Edds place in Regent St Preston, because it was close to Preston institute that was in St Georges road. after classes I would go back and pick up the items and go door-to-door delivering and selling them.

money was very tight for me in those days. I remember running out of fuel a number of times on my motorbike cos I didn't have the money at the time. sometimes I would only have a few cents and use that to buy just enough fuel to get home. usually on a Monday evening.

I learnt a lot by being a rawleigh dealer, that served me well, later on in my life.

and I forgot a very important part. Dave, thanks for reminding me.

on a Friday night after finishing my Rawleighs round I would go to Dave's place, after buying fish and chips in high Street Westgarth.

we used to all meet up on Friday nights at Dave's place.

remember having some great discussions with Daves Dad.

also remember the time that Ivan took Gabo, the big gigantic stuffed bear, for ride on the back of his motorbike.

And the time Dave rode Rays bike, without a licence, and ran into some cops. being quite smart he got off the bike and parked it and walked back to Walker Street. Ray was a bit anxious seeing Dave without his bike, till he found out what happened.

great how one memory triggers another.

not the exact advertisement that I answered but one very similar to it. Rawleighs would put advertisements in the employment section of newspapers like this one quite often.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Thomas_Rawleigh

somewhere I've got an old Rawleighs brochure with my name rubber stamped on it. if I find. it I'll put it here.

one of the very few mobs that I actually worked for that still exist. must be good products.

https://www.rawleighs.com/

and in Australia:

http://www.rawleigh.com.au/

although it sometimes seems to redirect to the New Zealand or US site.