Download the case analysis in PDF format
Status: Positive or Neutral Judicial Treatment
Page One Records, Ltd v Britton
Chancery Division
25 July 1967
Case Analysis
Where Reported
[1968] 1 W.L.R. 157; [1967] 3 All E.R. 822; [1967] 7 WLUK 101; (1967)
111 S.J. 944;
Case Digest
Subject: Contracts
Other related subjects: Civil procedure
Keywords: Contracts of employment; Entertainment; Interim injunctions; Managers
Summary: Injunction; contract for personal services
Abstract: An injunction will not be granted if its effect will be to force the plaintiff to perform a contract for personal services. The defendants, a group of “pop singers,” by written agreements made in 1966 engaged the first plaintiff to manage all their professional affairs for the following five years. It was a term of the agreements that the defendants would not engage any other person as manager and would not themselves act in that capacity. In 1967 the defendants alleged certain breaches of these agreements by the first plaintiff and purported to repudiate the agreements. The plaintiffs commenced proceedings against the defendants and moved for an interlocutory injunction restraining them until the trial from engaging as managers anyone other than the first plaintiff.
Held, dismissing the motion, that the interlocutory injunction asked for
would in effect amount to enforcing the performance by the first plaintiff of a contract for personal services. (Lumley v Wagner 42 E.R. 687, [1852] 5 WLUK 86 distinguished and the principle in Warner Bros Pictures Inc v Nelson [1937] 1 K.B. 209, [1936] 10 WLUK 12 considered).
Judge: Stamp J
Significant Cases Cited
Warner Bros Pictures Inc v Nelson
[1937] 1 K.B. 209; [1936] 3 All E.R. 160; [1936] 10 WLUK 12; KBD; 1936-10-19
Lumley v Wagner
42 E.R. 687; (1852) 1 De G.M. & G. 604; [1852] 5 WLUK 86; QB;
1852-05-26
All Cases Cited
Warner Bros Pictures Inc v Nelson
[1937] 1 K.B. 209; [1936] 3 All E.R. 160; [1936] 10 WLUK 12; KBD; 1936-10-19
Johnson v Shrewsbury & Birmingham Railway
43 E.R. 358; (1853) 3 De G.M. & G. 914; [1853] 3 WLUK 104; Ct of Chancery; 1853-03-24
Lumley v Wagner
42 E.R. 687; (1852) 1 De G.M. & G. 604; [1852] 5 WLUK 86; QB;
1852-05-26
Key Cases Citing
Considered
Denmark Productions v Boscobel Productions
[1969] 1 Q.B. 699; [1968] 3 W.L.R. 841; [1968] 3 All E.R. 513; [1968] 6 WLUK 80; (1968) 112 S.J. 761; CA (Civ Div); 1968-06-28
All Cases Citing
Mentioned by
MLS (Overseas) Ltd v Secretary of State for Defence
[2018] EWHC 1303 (TCC); [2018] 5 WLUK 508; 178 Con. L.R. 197; [2018] C.I.L.L. 4166; QBD (TCC); 2018-05-25
Mentioned by
Woods Building Services v Milton Keynes Council
[2015] EWHC 2172 (TCC); [2015] 7 WLUK 820; [2015] B.L.R. 591; 161 Con. L.R. 101; [2015] B.L.G.R. 747; [2015] C.I.L.L. 3732; QBD (TCC); 2015-07-24
Mentioned by
Sunrise Brokers LLP v Rodgers
[2014] EWCA Civ 1373; [2014] 10 WLUK 681; [2015] I.C.R. 272; [2015] I.R.L.R. 57; CA (Civ Div); 2014-10-23
Mentioned by
SAB Miller Africa v East African Breweries
[2009] EWHC 2140 (Comm); [2010] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 392; [2009] 8 WLUK 181; QBD (Comm); 2009-08-18
Mentioned by
LauritzenCool AB v Lady Navigation Inc
[2005] EWCA Civ 579; [2005] 1 W.L.R. 3686; [2006] 1 All E.R. 866; [2005] 2 All E.R. (Comm) 183; [2005] 2 Lloyd’s Rep. 63; [2005] 5 WLUK 363; [2005] 1 C.L.C. 758; Times, May 26, 2005; CA (Civ Div);
2005-05-17
Mentioned by
Subaru Tecnica International Inc v Burns
[2001] 12 WLUK 265; Ch D; 2001-12-12
Mentioned by
Home Entertainments Corp v Patel (t/a Raj Mini Market) [1997] 4 WLUK 127; CA (Civ Div); 1997-04-14
Mentioned by
Wake v Renault (UK) Ltd
[1996] 7 WLUK 417; (1996) 15 Tr. L.R. 514; Times, August 1, 1996; CHD; 1996-07-25
Mentioned by
Warren v Mendy
[1989] 1 W.L.R. 853; [1989] 3 All E.R. 103; [1989] 2 WLUK 177; [1989] I.C.R. 525; [1989] I.R.L.R. 210; (1989) 133 S.J. 1261; CA (Civ Div); 1989-02-14
Mentioned by
Dietmann v Brent LBC
[1986] 12 WLUK 264; [1987] I.C.R. 737; [1987] I.R.L.R. 259; QBD; 1986-12-19
Mentioned by
Regent International Hotels (UK) v Pageguide
[1985] 1 WLUK 577; Times, May 13, 1985; CA (Civ Div); 1985-01-01
Mentioned by
Evans Marshall & Co v Bertola SA (No.1)
[1973] 1 W.L.R. 349; [1973] 1 All E.R. 992; [1973] 1 Lloyd’s Rep. 453; [1972] 12 WLUK 98; (1972) 117 S.J. 225; CA (Civ Div); 1972-12-20
Considered
Denmark Productions v Boscobel Productions
[1969] 1 Q.B. 699; [1968] 3 W.L.R. 841; [1968] 3 All E.R. 513; [1968] 6 WLUK 80; (1968) 112 S.J. 761; CA (Civ Div); 1968-06-28
Commentary
Bowstead & Reynolds on Agency 21st Ed. Incorporating Second
Supplement
Chapter: Chapter 7 – Rights of Agents against their Principals
Documents: Section 1. – Remuneration
Bowstead & Reynolds on Agency 21st Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 7 – Rights of Agents against their Principals
Documents: Section 1. – Remuneration
Chitty on Contracts 33rd Ed. Incorporating First Supplement
Chapter: Chapter 14 – Implied Terms
Documents: (b) – Illustrations
Chitty on Contracts 33rd Ed. Incorporating First Supplement
Chapter: Chapter 16 – Illegality and Public Policy
Documents: (i) – Scope of the Doctrine
Chitty on Contracts 33rd Ed. Incorporating First Supplement
Chapter: Chapter 27 – Action for an Agreed Sum, Specific Performance and Injunction
Documents: (f) – Mutuality of Remedy
Chitty on Contracts 33rd Ed. Incorporating First Supplement
Chapter: Chapter 27 – Action for an Agreed Sum, Specific Performance and Injunction
Documents: Section 4. – Injunction
Chitty on Contracts 33rd Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 14 – Implied Terms
Documents: (b) – Illustrations
Chitty on Contracts 33rd Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 16 – Illegality and Public Policy
Documents: (i) – Scope of the Doctrine
Chitty on Contracts 33rd Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 27 – Action for an Agreed Sum, Specific Performance and Injunction
Documents: (f) – Mutuality of Remedy
Chitty on Contracts 33rd Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 27 – Action for an Agreed Sum, Specific Performance and Injunction
Documents: Section 4. – Injunction
Contract Law: Textbook Series, 2nd Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 17 – Remedies II: equitable remedies, restitution and
limitation of actions
Documents: Equitable Remedies
Contract Law: The Fundamentals, 5th Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 15 – Other Remedies
Documents: Injunctions
Contractual Duties: Performance, Breach, Termination and Remedies
3rd Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 27 – Specific Relief: The Grant of Specific Performance
Documents: Factors telling against the grant of specific performance
Contractual Duties: Performance, Breach, Termination and Remedies
3rd Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 28 – Specific Relief: Injunctions and Breach of Contract
Documents: Section V. – Injunctions and Indirect Specific Performance
Copinger and Skone James on Copyright 17th Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 26 – Exploitation of Rights in Particular Industries
Documents: (f) – Contractual disputes and their remedies
Gee on Commercial Injunctions 6th Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 2 – General principles and enforcement of contracts
Documents: Section (3) – Relationship between Specific Performance and Injunctions, and the Specific Enforcement of a Negative Contractual Promise by Injunction
Hanbury & Martin: Modern Equity 21st Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 28 – Injunctions
Documents: A. – To Restrain a Breach of Contract
Injunctions 13th Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 4 – Special Cases in the Law of Injunctions
Documents: Section 1 – Contracts of Employment and Other Business
Relationships
Snell’s Equity 34th Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 18 – Injunction
Documents: 2. – Rights which, if Infringed, may Justify the Grant of a Final Injunction
Snell’s Equity 34th Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 18 – Injunction
Documents: 3. – The Equity to Grant Injunctive Relief
Sweet and Maxwell’s Encyclopedia of Employment Law
Chapter: Chapter 2J – Terms Protecting the Employer’s Business Interests
Documents: 2J-4.2 Commentary
Sweet and Maxwell’s Encyclopedia of Employment Law
Chapter: Chapter 5G – Remedies for Wrongful Termination
Documents: 5G-2.5 General rule
Treitel on The Law of Contract 15th Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 21 – Specific Remedies
Documents: (iv) – Mutuality of remedy
Treitel on The Law of Contract 15th Ed.
Chapter: Chapter 21 – Specific Remedies
Documents: (ii) – No indirect specific performance
© 2020 Thomson Reuters