Precedent

The Democrat brand was established by A.W. Jackson Metals Pty. Ltd. in Melbourne. They simply made radios, from 1948 to 1949. See here.

A.W. Jackson Metals Pty, Ltd, galvanizers were established at 153-159 Sturt St, South Melbourne around 1939. Around 1948 they started manufacturing radios & radiograms under the "Precedent" & "Democrat" brands. Sometime around 1949 A.W. Jackson Metals Pty, Ltd, became A.W. Jackson Industries Pty, Ltd. A large fire in 1951 at the Sturt St factory caused extensive damage to the building and stock. Also in 1951, A.W. Jackson set up radio manufacturing at 121 Crown St, Surry Hills in Sydney. By 1953 the firm had taken over the radio manufacturing concerns of Breville Radio at 67 Missenden Rd, Camperdown, Sydney. A.W. Jackson manufactured rebadged Precedent radiograms and television sets under the Breville brand until 1959. In July 1955, A.W. Jackson became a subsidiary company of Electronics Industries Ltd (Radio Corporation/Astor). Astor took over A.W. Jacksons former premises at 153-159 Sturt St, which later on housed Astor's record division. A.W. Jackson in turn relocated to Astor's former printing works situated at 666-670 Chapel St, South Yarra. A.W. Jacksons last factory in Melbourne was at the Gainsborough Furniture Pty, Ltd, (another E.I.L. subsidiary) factory at 648a Nicholson St, Nth Fitzroy. After 1964 all A.W. Jackson's manufacturing activities took place in Sydney. A.W. Jackson maintained a Melbourne office at Astor House, 161-173, Sturt St, South Melbourne. After the takeover of Electronics Industries by Philips in 1970, A.W. Jackson remained a subsidiary company & continued to manufacture televisions & radiograms up until at least 1973/74. In 1972 A.W. Jackson moved from Annandale to the former Astor Electronics City site, but then owned by Philips, at 443 Concord Rd, Rhodes, NSW. The last known Precedent product was a rebadged Japanese colour TV set from around 1975.

(From Stuart Irwin - Radio Museum ) 

Page last updated - July 2025