The Brinsmead Lawsuits

Some interesting information about the business can be gleaned from the law reports from the time.  The company became embroiled in several law suits. Some were just fights with businesses over payments.

The more interesting suits arose over some prolonged efforts by certain relatives who had worked for the company to exploit the Brinsmead name, first using it on an inferior quality piano and later floating a company with a similar name in order to capitalize on the similarity.

We will be posting copies of this litigation on this site shortly, along with a summary of each dispute and the details of what it tells us about the relatives at the time.

The first major suit involved an application for an injunction to restrain Thomas Edward Brinsmead and his sons from producing pianos under the Brinsmead name. The following document includes copies of the formal court documents filed over this claim (the pleadings).

• The pleadings in the law suit over the use of the Brinsmead name.

The second major suit involved steps taken on behalf of the investors, supported by John Brinsmead, to wind up the newly incorporated Thomas Edward Brinsmead and Sons Limited company. The list of subscribing creditors is included with the court documents.

• The advertisement in The Investor for the shares in Company
• An original share certificate in the new T H Brinsmead company
• The petition and schedule of investors from the winding up law suit.
• The Court decision in the main action to wind up the Thomas Brinsmead and Sons Limited Company.

Other information that we will post soon comes from the London Times accounts of the various Brinsmead activities.