John Lewis (1836-1928)
John Lewis (1836-1928), businessman and town councillor, known for being the founder of the John Lewis department store on Oxford Street, London and the national John Lewis department store chain. See John Lewis Partnership
1836 February 24th. Born in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, the son of John Lewis (1798-1843), a Cabinet maker, and his wife Elizabeth Speed (1797-1872). He was brought up with the help of an aunt, Miss Ann Speed.
1851 Lodging at Lower House, High Street, Glastonbury: John Lewis (age 16 born Shepton Mallet), Draper's Apprentice. With his sisters Maria (age 20) and Ann (age 19) in the house of Peter Marquand (age 49 born Guernsey), Woollen and Linen Draper, who is with his wife Emma, two daughters and four sons.[1]
Having served as an apprentice to a local draper from the age of fourteen, he moved to London to become a silk buyer in the capital, working in Peter Robinson's Department Store at Oxford Circus by the time he was 20
1871 Residing at 1 Marylebone Road, London: John Lewis (age 35 born Shepton Mallet), Silk Mercer (and single). With his sister Maria Lewis (age 40 born Shepton Mallet).[2]
1881 Residing at 7 Harley Place, Marylebone: John Lewis (age 45 born Shepton Mallet), Silk Mercer (and single). With his sister Maria (age 51 born Shepton Mallet), Income from interest.[3]
1884 November 01st. Married at Stoke Bishop, Glos., to Eliza Baker
1885 Birth of son John Spedan Lewis
1887 Birth of son Oswald Lewis
c.1888 Bought a house in Hampstead and renamed it Spedan Towers and lived there until his death
1891 Residing at Spedan Towers, Hampstead: John Lewis (age 55 born Shepton Mallet), Silk Mercer (and employer). With his wife Elizabeth Lewis (age 36 born Bridgwater) and sons John Spedan Lewis (age 5 born Marylebone) and Oswald Lewis (age 4 born Hampstead). Four servants.[4]
1901 Residing at Spedan Towers, Branch Hill, Hampstead: John Lewis (age 64 born Shepton Mallet), Silk Mercer (and employer). With his wife Eliza Lewis (age 46 born Bridgwater) and sons John Spedan Lewis (age 15 born Marylebone) and Oswald Lewis (age 13 born Hampstead). Three servants.[5]
Lewis was regarded as an autocratic employer, prone to dismissing staff arbitrarily. His management style led to conflict with his sons who disagreed with his business methods. It was only after his death that the company was transformed into the John Lewis Partnership, a worker co-operative.
1928 June 08th. Died, of 278-288 Oxford street and of Spedan Towers, Hampstead. Probate to John Spedan Lewis.
1928 Obituary.[6]
One of London’s links with the past, Mr. John Lewis, the Oxford-street draper, known to his employees as “Old John,” died yesterday, aged ninety-three. His long career was marked by a strong independence of character. "No Surrender" was his slogan when in 1920 he fought a strike of 500 shop girls at his establishment who ceased work because he would not recognise the Shop Assistants’ Union. Even when only one department in his great stores was working he resolutely refused to give in to the union demands, and, though a white-haired old man, he helped to serve customers. In the end he won, and the strikers agreed to go hack.
Although up-to-date in business methods, Mr. Lewis was considered somewhat old-fashioned in matters, concerning his employees. All his male assistants had to wear the traditional frock or tail coat in the shop. Once he went to prison for refusing to reinstate as houses two dwellings in Holles-street which he thought he could incorporate in his business premises.
Short Skirts Opponent. This was part of a dispute with his ground landlord, Lord Howard de Walden, which led to Mr. Lewis placarding his Oxford-street frontage with "This is Lord Howard de Walden's monument of iniquity." Lord Howard de Walden brought an action for libel and was awarded a farthing damages, and the two antagonists ended the dispute with a handshake.
Years ago he was reputed to be a millionaire, though he started with a tiny shop in Oxford-street in the sixties after being an assistant. He was not in love with modernisation, "I think," he commented, "the short skirt and the bare-leg vogue is horrible and barbarous. If I had a daughter of fifteen or sixteen and I met her in Oxford-street with skirts stopping short at the knee there would be a lively scene.”
He spent his declining year at Spedan Tower, his beautiful home at Hampstead, but, despite his great age he often "went down to the shop."