Anthony E. Pratt (Cluedo Inventor)

Anthony Pratt, who invented the game Cluedo, was born at 13 Brighton Road, Balsall Heath on 10th August 1903. Pratt’s local school is unknown but he certainly went on to St Philips in Edgbaston where he excelled at chemistry and music. He made an early career playing piano on cruise ships and in country hotels but by the Second World War he was working on a drilling machine in an engineering factory in Birmingham manufacturing parts for tanks. With time to think while working he started forming the ideas for Cluedo.

In part he was inspired to design a game by an earlier conversation with his then neighbour, Geoffrey Bull, who had invented an earlier Waddingtons game called Buccaneer. Pratt’s love of detective fiction, especially Agatha Christie, set the theme of his game which he originally called “Murder” with artwork designed by his wife Elva (nee Hill). The couple were living in Stanley Road, Kings Heath at the time he patented the game.

Waddingtons produced Cluedo for the British market whilst Parker Brothers (who obtained the American rights for the game) marketed the game as ‘Clue’ in America. Sold since 1949, it has been a bestseller ever since it first came out. More than 150 million have been sold in more than 40 countries, and there have been several revised and deluxe editions along the way. The game has also inspired a film, tv series, books and computer games.

Although the game made considerable money for Pratt he could certainly have made a lot more if he hadn’t sold the overseas rights in 1953 to Waddingtons for £5,000. He faded into obscurity with just the occasional newspaper piece now and then drawing attention to him. He passed away in 1994 and was buried in Bromsgrove Cemetery. Pratt’s Cluedo legacy continues as strongly as ever and he now joins the list of famous Heathans who we remember.