Journal

Obituary: Peter Maguire

Peter A. Maguire, 1942-2025

Peter was born in Carshalton Surrey on 11 December 1942, to Charles Fry and Dorothy (née Morley). In July 1944, Peter and his elder brother Michael lost their father when a V1 flying bomb struck the factory in Croydon where Charles, a reserved occupational carpenter, was attending black out facilities. After the war, Dorothy met and married Thomas Maguire.

Throughout his life, Peter was blighted by asthma, hay-fever and associated allergic disorders. Consequently, on medical advice, the family moved, in 1954, to Canvey Island on the Thames estuary, free of London smog. His health and the move, disrupted his early education and he failed the 11+ exam, attending Canvey Island Secondary Modern School, not a happy experience. Subsequently, Peter achieved sufficient qualifications from Southend Technical College to secure a junior post in the patent practice of Edward Evans & Co in Chancery House.

It was while working for Edward Evans that Peter met Janet Ralph, on Canvey, who became his wife of very nearly 60 years.

Peter passed the CIPA Inter exam in 1969 and the Finals in 1970, joint recipient of the Gill Prize, becoming a Fellow of the Institute in 1971. Thus, as he was fond of remarking, he qualified under the 1949 Act. He joined Fitzpatricks’ Holborn office as a TA, rising to partnership level. In the mid-1970s he moved, with his family, to Cambridgeshire, opening the Huntingdon branch of Fitzpatricks. When the European Patent Office opened its doors in the late 1970s, Peter became one of the first European Patent Attorneys. Peter left the Fitzpatricks partnership to set up P A Maguire & Co in 1984, initially from a Portakabin® at his home. He was joined by childhood friend, Alan Boss, who handled the trade mark practice.

During US litigation for a key client, Peter was cross-examined and required to sit a drafting test to show that the patent had been prepared by a competent attorney. His skill and passion for drafting meant that he passed this test without difficulty.

The firm was seriously threatened in 1991 with the collapse of a major client, Polly Peck. To remain afloat, Peter was forced to part with a number of cherished possessions, including his valuable stamp collection, and a couple of classic motorcycles that he had lovingly restored. Renamed Maguire Boss, the partnership moved to St Ives in Cambridgeshire. Peter and Alan were later joined by David Dodd of Manchester and Terry Connor of Chatham.

Peter’s passion for high-end hi-fi equipment led to the acquisition of a client, NXT, with a revolutionary new flat loudspeaker. Maguire Boss grew symbiotically with the client and Julia Gwilt joined as the first trainee. Peter travelled across Europe to develop close ties with the overseas attorneys for NXT. During a trip to Russia, Peter’s true character as an English gentle man (the gap is deliberate) was recognised and Peter, in his trademark tweed three-piece suit, was waved straight through passport control.

Peter and Alan left the partnership in the early 2000s, although both continued to practise independently for some years after. Peter also continued to offer tutorials for the practical UK exams and the candidates appreciated his pragmatic and supportive approach, as well as the precautionary tale of his drafting test in the US. Peter finally retiring in 2013.

Peter’s musical tastes were eclectic, ranging from Lonnie Donegan to Brahms. His other life-time passion was motor vehicles. As a teenager, he owned a succession of motorcycles that he tuned to peak performance and owned a series of high-performance cars. He established a well-equipped mechanics workshop in the outbuildings of his Cambridgeshire home and became in great demand by the local farming community for his ability to diagnose and repair recalcitrant agricultural machinery. In the 1990s, both Peter and Janet took up the sport of clay pigeon shooting and competed, successfully at county, national and international level.

Peter is survived by Janet; his two children Johanna and Matthew; his grandchildren, Bea and Sam; and four siblings, Audrey, Kathleen, Michael and Richard.

Tony Maguire (Peter’s brother)