Harold Holdsworth & Co (Wakefield) Ltd v Caddies

Harold Holdsworth & Co (Wakefield) Ltd v Caddies
Court	House of Lords
Citation(s)	[1955] 1 WLR 352
Keywords
Company constitution, managing director

Harold Holdsworth & Co (Wakefield) Ltd v Caddies [1955] 1 WLR 352 is a UK company law case, concerning the proper interpretation of a company's articles. It held that someone with the title of "managing director" has no special powers, unless the articles say them expressly.

Facts

Mr Holdsworth became the managing director of the textile company after a buyout. But then the parent became dissatisfied and purported to move his duties to a subsidiary. He sued for breach of contract.

Judgment

Earl Jowitt held that the position of managing director did not have some special company law meaning. So the appointment clause was broad enough that if he remained any old director, there was no breach of agreement.

See also

• UK company law
• Hely-Hutchinson v Brayhead Ltd [1968] 1 QB 549