Heir Dispute Intensifies as Millionaire Toymaker’s Son Fights to Exclude Half-Brother from £14.5 Million Family Trust

Toy tycoon Stuart Marcus left a £14.5million fortune to his sons Edward and Jonathan - but only Jonathan is his biological son

LONDON — A bitter legal battle has reignited over the £14.5 million fortune of late British toy magnate Stuart Marcus, as his younger son Jonathan Marcus continues his fight to disinherit his older half-brother, Edward, from the family trust. The dramatic case hinges on a revelation that Edward is not Stuart’s biological child but was fathered during an affair decades ago.

Stuart Marcus, who built a multi-million pound toy empire beginning with a small East London shop in the 1960s, created a trust fund shortly before his death in 2020. The fund, consisting of company shares worth £14.5 million, was intended for his "children" — Edward, 47, and Jonathan, 43 — both of whom had worked in the family business.

Edward Marcus was born out of a one-night stand that the boys' mother had with a lawyer

However, the family was rocked when it emerged that Edward was the result of a brief affair between his mother, Patricia Marcus, and lawyer Sydney Glossop. The affair occurred over 40 years ago while Patricia’s husband, Stuart, was away on business.

In a ruling last year, Judge Master Matthew Marsh acknowledged the DNA evidence and Patricia’s sworn testimony, confirming that Edward was not Stuart’s biological son. However, the judge concluded that the term "children" in the trust referred to both Edward and Jonathan, based on Stuart’s clear lifelong treatment of both as his sons.

Jonathan Marcus as sought to appeal a ruling that would see Edward entitled to a share of the fortune

Despite that ruling, Jonathan has launched a fresh appeal, arguing that the trust’s use of the word “children” should be interpreted strictly to mean biological offspring. Representing Jonathan, barrister Thomas Braithwaite told the High Court this week that “Stuart intended to benefit Edward, but he believed Edward was his biological child,” calling the trust's interpretation a “common mistaken assumption.”

“‘Children’ simply cannot be a placeholder for two specific people,” Braithwaite insisted. “A reasonable person with all the background would interpret the term to mean biological children.”

The company produces crafting toys such as the Sequin Art series (pictured) as well as painting by numbers sets

But barrister Matthew Mills, representing Edward, countered that Stuart knowingly intended for both sons to benefit equally from the trust. “Jonathan is doing this to try to take away from Edward any rights in this multi-million pound family business,” he said. “Realistically, the reasonable person would think Edward is a beneficiary.”

Edward, now an in-house solicitor for a housing association, had previously kept his paternity secret for more than a decade after being told the truth by his mother. The revelation only surfaced in 2023, prompting Jonathan to pursue legal action with supporting DNA evidence.

Stuart Marcus grew his toy company into a business empire based out of Swaffham in Norfolk

Following last year’s trial, Master Marsh ordered Edward to pay £150,000 toward Jonathan’s legal fees, ruling that Edward should have accepted the DNA results and not pursued a biological claim.

During this week's hearing, High Court judge Sir Anthony Mann reserved judgment, with a decision expected at a later date.

Stuart Marcus, remembered by colleagues as “a modest man with a big dream and a big heart,” founded Kitfix Hobbies in 1962 and grew it into a major brand in toys, board games, and crafts. The company remains a valuable part of the trust in question, with both brothers contributing to its success — Jonathan notably leading operations in Germany.