Oxford Bookstore - Use of The Name 'Oxford'

Use of The Name 'Oxford'

Oxford University Press came to India in 1912, and learned of the existence of the Oxford Bookstores shortly after they were set up in 1920. They had a brief legal tussle over the use of the telegraphic address 'Oxonian', but in general tolerated and even encouraged the firm, giving them special terms for OUP and Clarendon Press titles. ‘An enterprising firm, certainly good at display,’ H.S. Milford, Publisher to the University, commented to Sir Maurice Gwyer.

OUP had in fact taken legal advice and been told that the geographical identifier ‘Oxford’ carried no protection unless teamed with ‘University’ or ‘Press’; and if any two words of the name were used they could ‘jump in with both feet’, as Milford said, and prosecute for trademark violation. The Press had been able to stifle the activities of the University of Oxford, Tennessee, without too much trouble, but marmalade, sausages and shoes could all call themselves ‘Oxford’ with impunity. Milford encouraged them because he felt their ‘enterprise’ deserved it, and since they were not publishers their operations actually helped OUP, and the confusion over who owned the Oxford Bookstores may have acted in OUP's advantage. Even today many people are surprised to know that these imposing, well-appointed and stately bookshops were never owned by OUP.