Classic Radio & Television Pty. Ltd.
230 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria.
10A Claremont Avenue, Malvern, Victoria. (1946 – 1952)
80-90 Waverley Road, East Malvern, Victoria. (1952 – 1960)

Classic Radio Pty. Ltd. manufactured large radiograms, often with cocktail bars incorporated and Televisions in the late 1950’s. This company was not affiliated Classic Radio Pty. Ltd., Sydney, NSW.

The cabinets were made by Creative Cabinets Pty. Ltd. and Cavalcade Radio Pty. Ltd. marketed the radios and TV’s with showrooms at 271 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW and 230 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria. Both companies were subsidiaries of Classic Radio, grouped as the Classic Group.[1]

The company changed its name to Classic Radio & Television Pty Ltd [2]

David Murray Holdings made a successful share offer for the Classic Group in July 1956.[3]

In the mid-1950 the company was determined to enter the television manufacturing field. Lacking sufficient resources to develop its own television sets Classic in 1955 entered into an agreement with Raymond Electrics Ltd., an English company, to produce sets designed by Raymond. The production of television receivers rapidly became Classic's main business. The first television set produced by Classic was fitted with a 70° picture tube. These sets were satisfactory but soon sets with a 90° picture tube were introduced. Classic had received a prototype of the 90° set by January, 1957, and when this proved unsatisfactory Classic's Chief Engineer Mr. M. J. Crompton went to England to discuss modification of the new set with Raymond.

In January, 1958, Mr. Crompton approved the original set without the modifications necessary to render it suitable for Australian conditions, as Raymond was not willing to pay the costs involved in making these modifications. The first of the new sets arrived in March, 1958, and they were placed on the market without field testing. They gave trouble from the outset and were never satisfactory.

After some time a new set was developed by Classic in co-operation with another Australian producer. This set had a 110° picture tube. The new set was put into production in April, 1959.

Altogether 3,000 of these sets were produced. They proved satisfactory but came too late to save Classic's reputation. Classic ceased manufacture in 1959-60. [1]

1] VPARL1966-67NoC2.pdf; 1966 Victoria Final Report Of An Investigation Under Division 4 Of Part Vi Of The Companies Act 1961 Into The Affairs Of Reid Murray Holdings Limited.
[2] Government Gazette of NSW, Aug 13, 1954 [Issue No.125] Page 2462.
[3] The Argus (Vic.) Jul 6, 1956, page 15.