| Description | Comprises:
-Letter from Hirst, 12 February 1952, replying to one of 3 February 1952 addressed to Stephens. Sends condolences on the death of Anthony and Elva Pratt's baby daughter Alison. Adds "Regarding Cluedo, this has certainly not sold as well as we anticipated". "Under the prevailing conditions" not too disappointed, there is a tendency for the public to avoid spending owing to the general shortage of money and increased cost of living. Says would be pleased to see [a new game being developed].
-Stephens forwards enquiry from a Dr M R A Chance of University of Birmingham Medical School, Department of Pharmacology, together with their response to Dr Chance, dated 15 March 1952. They say that Waddingtons could not explain the principle underlying the game of Cluedo but, from their experience, an inventor usually has a brainwave, resulting in at most 5% of submissions being taken up. Passes on Anthony's address. Dr Chance had written that Cluedo seemed to be designed on a principle underlying the function of the brain itself and queried whether mathematics entered into the design.
-Letter dated 22 April 1952 from Hirst responding to Anthony Pratt's letter of 16 April 1952, politely interested in his new game but too busy and away on business at present.
-Letter dated 16 June 1952 from Hirst replying to Anthony Pratt's letter of 14 June 1952, asking him to send his new game in.
-Letter from Norman Watson, 6 March 1953 saying Waddingtons had considered Anthony Pratt's Treasure Hunt game but it was too like Cluedo and would conflict with sales of Cluedo, which they were disappointed with anyway. Also they would not permit the game being offered to other manufacturers because of similarity. Might reconsider in few years time. Everything returned and no record kept.
-Letter from Clarence Hirst asking Anthony to come to Waddingtons in Leeds on 28 March 1953 as they wanted to discuss "one or two points" with him, 17 March 1953
-Letter dated 23 March 1953 from Hirst confirming meeting on 28th March 1953. Said "Very little really to discuss" but thought it would be "nice just to see you in connection with Cluedo and overseas selling".
-Letter dated 30 March 1953 from Hirst confirming the meeting of 28th March 1953 happened, with jottings by Anthony Pratt on reverse of letter with thoughts about a new stockmarket game.
-Letter from Hirst acknowledging a letter from Anthony dated 28 March addressed to Norman Watson confirming they will l consider his suggestion, 1 April 1953
-Letter from a B. Wadsworth, Sales Department, in absence of Hirst, asking for Anthony Pratt's Accountants' reaction to the suggestions, 21 April 1953
-Letter from Stephens, 12 May 1953, headed "Cluedo - overseas" and referring to correspondence between Anthony Pratt and Clarence Hirst and also involving Norman Watson. Encloses a simple letter for Anthony to sign to "effect what is desired". Please return in exchange for the cheque.
-Handwritten copy of letter from Anthony Pratt to Waddingtons, May 1953, stating, "In consideration of the sum of £5000 now paid by you to me, the receipt of which I acknowledge, I agree that no royalties shall be payable in respect of sales of Cluedo in any country other than the UK as from the date of the sales included in the last accounts submitted by you to me when making the last payment but in all other respects I confirm the existing arrangements with you. Dated 14th May 1953, signed"
-Letter from Stephens thanking Anthony for the letter received that morning and enclosing the cheque for £5000, 6 May 1953
-Letter from Patent Office informing patentees they can apply for an extension of the term of a patent up to a maximum of 10 years if they can prove losses or damage have been suffered because of the war, 20 May 1958
-Letter from J Forrest, Waddingtons Sales Manager, in reply to one from Anthony Pratt saying Clarence Hirst had died the previous year from Asian flu, 6 October 1958
-Letter from a Peter B. Stephens acknowledging Anthony Pratt's change of address to Bournemouth, 31 July 1959
-Letter from Mr Stephens' office dated 19 August 1959, acknowledging a letter dated 18 August 1959 about late quarterly statement and cheque
-Letter with mistakes in address from Waddingtons Games Committee secretary, 13 May 1960. Referred to a letter from Watson dated 13 April about a new game proposal of Anthony's and indicated that the game was nothing interesting or unusual and while not a definite `no' on the basis of just the outline, was discouraging.
-Letter with same address mistakes from the same secretary apologising for the length of time getting back, acknowledging detailed proposal Antohny Pratt had sent in and rejecting and returning it, 8 August 1960
-Letter dated 13 August 1960 from Norman Watson at Waddingtons Chairman's Office, replying to a letter from Anthony about dwindling sales and also about the patent expiry and the need to apply for an extension. New style boxes had been introduced and it was necessary for the company to hold back despatch of the new boxes until stocks of the old version had been used up. Expects sales to increase by 25%. Enclosed three complimentary copies of the new edition.
-Letter from AK Wilson, Acting Joint Secretary about ab application for extension of the patent and suggesting a meeting between the parties and Patent Agent in London, 18 April 1961
-Letter dated 26 April 1961 from Wilson confirming meeting in London on 3 May 1961 at Frank B Dehn & Co, Patent Agents, Imperial House, 15-19 Kingsway
-Letters from Frank B Dehn & Co about applying for extension, dated 1 & 5 June 1961
-Letter dated 7 June 1961 from Wilson sending a complimentary copy of the new game "Kimbo" and says will also send a copy of "Camelot" when ready. Working on patent extension.
-Letter dated 9 November 1961 re patent extention saying no final decision taken yet by Patents Office as there were disagreements between Patents Office and Agents about length of extension.
-Letter dated 6 February 1962 from Norman Watson at Waddingtons Chairman's Office about the patent, saying there had been a lot of correspondence between Waddingtons and the Patent Agent and they were hoping for at least a five year extension. Comments that there is a lot of competition in the games business; Bingo has affected their sales to a great extent and now a new scheme of cinema horse race betting involving evening showings of American horse race films.
-Letter from Norman Watson saying they can only get a patent extension for four years and asking for views, 28 March 1962
-Manuscript notes of letter sent by Anthony to Norman Watson, n.d. [30/31 March] 1962 saying he thinks the Patent Office are wrong because the effect of the war on suppressing sales would have lasted well beyond 1949, maybe even until 1955. However his conclusion is that the Patents Agents should make one more approach to the Patent Office in the hope of obtaining an extra year but if that's resisted to settle for the four year offer.
-Letter from Waddingtons Secretarial Department dated 2 April 1962 (in reply to one of 29 March addressed to Watson) about patent extension and trying for longer. Also about a query regarding the fall in sales between 1958 - 1960, stating that these fell from 53,523 to 43,983, a fall of 17.8%.
-Letter, dated 30 May 1962, from Waddingtons Secretarial Department indicating the Patents Agents are pushing for a six year extension, citing comparisons with figures from Monopoly and Totopoly which challenge the Patents Office's assumption that Cluedo sales might ordinarily be expected to fall off after initial saturation. |