From one small acorn!

C Brandauer & Co Ltd is a business whose current shareholders are all descendants (or husbands/wives/partners) of the original Mr Joseph Letiere Petit who was a partner with Mr Charles Brandauer during the start of the pen manufactory in the latter part of the 19th century.

Joseph Letiere Petit, (descended from a Huguenot family from Northern France) was born in 1827 and was married in 1852 to Martha Sheldon.  They had 11 children, 5 boys and 6 girls.  Sadly several died in childhood as was common in the period.  Of the 5 sons two died within their first year of life.  However, the remaining three were involved in the business.  Joseph Henry Petit was the first son to become a partner in the business with his Father, Mr Charles Brandauer and one of his sons.  Later Charles Frederick Petit became a partner and the third brother The Reverend Oliver Stanley Petit became a director in due course.  He was a vicar in Harborne, Birmingham. 

On Thursday 14 October 2010 the descendants, current, past and future shareholders and other family members, of Joseph Letiere Petit will be meeting for the annual general meeting and to spend the afternoon discussing business related subjects.  Five of Joseph Letiere Petit's children had children and by the time we get to my generation (number 5) there are 80 of us!  However, that does include partners but it is still a huge number from one couple.  Of direct descendants of the Founder in my generation our birth dates range from 1934 - 1974 which I find quite incredible.  It just depends if you are descended from the oldest son, Mr Joseph Henry Petit, or one of the younger sisters. 

Fortunately, the Company's drawing office can update and print the family tree which is currently 9 feet wide and I would like to thank them for all their help with the document each year.  The family tree shows 2 generations of the family below me and a further 4 before Joseph Letiere Petit, back to Etienne Petit born c. 1673.  It is quite a record for which I must thank my Father, Joseph Adrian Letiere Petit, who took many years putting it all together.  It is my pleasure to continue his work by trying to keep it up to date and continue the job that I started with him when a teenager in trying to trace the family even further back in France.