Family History

Early life and education

Career

Spedan Lewis resigned as chairman in 1955, and was known within the company from that point on as \”The Founder\”. He announced in 1960 that in his will he was leaving roughly £100,000 to his successor, Mr Miller, to help the company.

Get the whole profit and the sharing is entirely among themselves.

John Lewis

Personal life

In 1923 Spedan Lewis married Sarah Beatrice Hunter, a graduate of Somerville College, Oxford, and a buyer within the company from 1922. They had three children, John Hunter (1924-1932), Jill (1927-1968) and Edward Grosvener (1929-2008). Sarah Lewis became deputy chairman of the company, and remained so until her death in 1953.

Legacy of John Lewis

The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.

Thomas Jefferson

Throughout his life Lewis was a keen and active natural historian. From 1933 until his death he was a fellow of the Linnean Society, which awards its John Spedan Lewis Medal for contributions to conservation. In retirement, Spedan Lewis lived at Longstock Park, near the village of Longstock in Hampshire. Upon his death, in accordance with his wishes he was buried at sea.