John Lewis (c.1836 – c.1928) was the founder of the John Lewis department store on Oxford Street, London.

Background

John Lewis was born in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, England into a Jewish family and became an orphan at the age of eight. He was brought up by an aunt, Miss Ann Speed. Having served as an apprentice to a local draper from the age of fourteen he moved to London to become the youngest silk buyer in the capital, working in Peter Robinson at Oxford Circus by the time he was thirty.

John Lewis Stores

Formation

In 1864 John Lewis opened his own small drapery shop, ‘John Lewis & Co.’ at 132 Oxford Street (later renumbered)- on part of the same site as the present John Lewis department store. The business flourished and expanded and was rebuilt in the 1880s to form an all-encompassing department store.

Further Purchases

In 1905 tradition has it that John Lewis walked from Oxford Street to Sloane Square with twenty £1000 notes in his pocket and bought Peter Jones. Sales at Peter Jones had been falling since 1902 and its new owner failed to reverse the trend. In 1914 he handed control of the store to his son Spedan.

Personal life

In 1884 John Lewis married Miss Eliza Baker and together they had two children, John Spedan, born 1885 and Oswald, born 1887. John Lewis remained in full control of his Oxford Street store until his death in 1928 at the age of 92.

External links

• John Lewis store website