Skulduggery in St Martin's Lane a nasty case of piracy? Margaret Jones

Arriving in London just as copyright law was on the cusp of change, Henric Fougt had an innovative approach to music publishing. His attempts to make printed music more widely available were initially successful, but soon met with opposition from fellow members of the printing trade. This was to lead to litigation, the murky world of forged musical instruments, and ultimately a hurried flight from his adopted country. Was Fougt guilty of the charges levelled against him; a scapegoat for problems within the industry; or a piratical opportunist cashing in on the success of others? This article examines the history of Fougt's time in London ,and the complex, sometimes criminal world, of the music industry in the mid-eighteenth century.