|
A.J.S.
was established in 1914
as a continuation
of the Stevens
Motor Manufacturing
Co. founded
in
1899. Since
1856
the Stevens family
had a
forge. The company was
known primarily
as a maker of
motorcycles and
later
automobiles. The
letters A.J.S.
were the
initials of the
founder,
Albert
John
Stevens. The company
was located at Walsall
Street
in
Wolverhampton. |
|
In 1923, the
brother
of
Albert Stevens,
Harry
Stevens, began a
new department
called
AJS
Wireless and Scientific
Instruments. This branch began
producing
luxurious radios,
loudspeakers and
components. |
|
Specialty of
the
company was the choke coil
coupler, a
unit that was made in
three versions: |
- the choke only,
- A choke unit for the first
stage of intervalve coupling. This unit
comprises the choke by-pass and coupling
condensers, and grid leak (see picture left),
- A choke unit for the second
and subsequent stages of intervalve
coupling, with coupling condenser and grid
leak.
|
|
On
July 10, 1925
a fire destroyed
a large part
of the production
facilities of
the
radio department.
The buildings were
re-built
in a
record time of
six weeks
and on
September 10
of that year
AJS opened
a
prestigious showroom
in
London at
Charing Cross
122-124. |
|
In
1926
A.J.S. introduced their
first
superheterodyne, the Symphony
Seven. |
|
Unfortunately
A.J.S.
could
no longer keep up with
competition and
the new technical developments; the company stopped making
radios
in
1928. The production of
radios
was taken over by
Symphony Gramophone
&
Radio Company
Limited.
In
1930 this factory also stopped. |
