Founded H.K. Lewis & Co. Ltd. in 1844 at 136 Gower St. 24 Gower Place added 1907. Incorporated 1915.
Found on the web: "H K Lewis & Co Ltd, booksellers. Founded by Henry King Lewis in 1844, it was also a lending library. The membership dues were minimal. Members could borrow books, regardless of price. It was the best bargain for those of us who had come from overseas with limited funds."
Andrew Behan has researched and found the following: "Henry King Lewis was born about 1822 in Margate Kent and in 1844 he married Lucy Hetherington in Eton, Buckinghamshire. The 1851 census shows them living at 15 Gower Street North, St Pancras, London, with their children, Lucy, Mary and Emily together with two male Apprentice Booksellers and two female House Servants. His occupation was shown as a Bookseller. The 1861 census shows family still at 15 Gower Street North. He was living there with his wife and three other children, Harriet E. Lewis, Henry C. K. Lewis and George C. M. Lewis with one female House Servant. His occupation was listed as a Bookseller (Public Medical Library). In 1871 the census shows that they had all moved to 146 Belsize Road, Hampstead and his occupation was now shown as a Publisher. The 1881 census shows him living at 25 Upper Park Road, Hampstead, with his wife, his two sons and three female servants. His occupation is recorded as a Publisher employing 6 men and 9 boys.
His wife died in 1887 and the 1891 census shows him living 'On his Own Means' at 'Kingsgate', De Cham Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex, with no family but with four female servants. Probate records state that Henry King Lewis of Whittier Lodge, Coombe Lane, Croydon, Surrey, died 30 January 1898 at 56 Cambridge Road, Hastings, Sussex. Probate was granted to William Hetherington Harris esquire and his effects totalled £24,321-19s-10d. He was buried on 2 February 1898 in Grave 46P, Ground Division B, Ealing & Old Brentford Cemetery, South Ealing Road, London, W5 4RH, within the same grave as his wife. He was aged 75 years.
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