Just back from holiday, I thought I'd add my bit about Niels Berkers'
question in 050125 MMD.

There are very few reference books covering British pianos, and pretty
well no history has ever been published for most companies.  However,
there are two books worth looking out for.

The first is "The Piano Makers," by David Wainwright (Hutchinson, 1975).
This is a general history of the British piano industry, written at the
encouragement of the "Piano Publicity Association" whose members'
interests rather coloured the contents of the book.  So, for instance,
it has no mention of the huge Aeolian factory at Hayes other than its
closure.  Its American-inspired production must have been a serious
threat to the British companies and, even 45 years later, it was still
clearly regarded as an outsider by the surviving companies and not
worth mentioning in the book!  (Wainwright also wrote "Broadwood by
Appointment", a history of the famous and well-documented firm.)

The other book is "The Piano - a history," by Cyril Ehrlich (Oxford
University Press, 1990), which is a social and economic history of the
piano business rather than piano manufacturers.  It's pretty well the
direct British equivalent of Craig Roell's "The Piano in America".
Both books are superb, and should be on any enthusiast's shelf!

Another source of some information on British piano makers is "Pianos
and their makers" by Alfred Dolge, readily available in a Dover reprint.
The more famous brands are covered either in the main book or the later
second volume that was reprinted by Vestal Press, retitled "Men who have
made piano history".

That said, neither Wainwright or Ehrlich directly mention "Bremar" or
"Waddington" in their index!  If you go to Google you'll find that it
suggests an alternative spelling of "Braemar" (a place in Scotland),
and there are hits for pianos of this spelling, even though Niels'
picture makes it clear that his piano is truly labelled Bremar.  Make
of that what you will.

Wainwright links the name Waddington with Longson, itself associated
with Squire.  Squire & Longson were major manufacturers of pianos
carrying other names such as Barnes (London), Rushworth & Dreaper
(Liverpool), Cranes (Manchester), as well as Welmar (made under license
for Bluthner's UK agents).  The only reference Ehrlich makes to
Waddington is a company of this name that was based in York.  The odds
are fairly good that the piano was made by one of the larger London
manufacturers, be it Squire or someone else.

When the Player Piano Group last pulled together an instrument listing
there were three or four Waddington Welte-Licensee players in the group
-- apparently the only UK brand to fit the system.  Looking at Niels'
web site the player seems to be an Autopiano or Standard but the
pictures are rather murky and it's hard to tell.

Not much of an answer, frankly.  I'd like to know more about Waddington
and whatever drove them to fit the Licensee; it's an unexplored area of
UK player history.

Julian Dyer