Person    | Male  Born 22/9/1885  Died 21/2/1963

John Spedan Lewis

Categories: Benefactor, Commerce

Retailer and industrial reformer. Born in Marylebone, the son of John Lewis. His second name was derived by reversing the names of Ann Speed, the maiden aunt who raised his father. He was given control of the Peter Jones department store in Sloane Square, Chelsea and when he realised that he, his father and younger brother were taking the same amount from the business as all its employees earned, the idea of a profit sharing scheme was formed. Trust Settlements were signed in 1929 and 1950 which transferred the ownership of the business to all its employees. Died at The Burrow, Longstock Park, Hampshire.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
John Spedan Lewis

Commemorated ati

John Lewis and John Spedan Lewis

John Lewis silk mercer of Oxford Street resided at Spedan Tower, Hampstead fr...

Read More

Other Subjects

Lady Walston

Lady Walston

Chairman of the Pulford Street Site Committee.  Her generosity enabled the building of a new social centre (Walston House) on the Tachbrook Estate. We haven't managed to prove it but we believe th...

Person, Benefactor, Politics & Administration, Social Welfare, USA

1 memorial
Welbore St. Clair Baddeley

Welbore St. Clair Baddeley

Welbore St. Clair Baddeley was born on 30 September 1856 in St Leonards, Hastings, Sussex, the sixth of the seven children of Lieutenant Colonel John Fraser Loddington Baddeley, RA, (1825-1862) and...

Person, Benefactor, History

1 memorial
Horatio Prater

Horatio Prater

Our colleague, Andrew Behan, has found someone who is probably our man, Andrew writes: I can find no evidence of an H. Prater in the Croydon area in the 1880's so I believe that the Historic Engla...

Person, Benefactor, Medicine

2 memorials
Carnegie Hero Fund Trust

Carnegie Hero Fund Trust

From the Trust's website: "In 1886, over 20 years before the Carnegie Hero Fund was established in the UK, {Andrew} Carnegie heard about the death of a Dunfermline boy who drowned in an heroic atte...

Group, Benefactor

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Queen's Tower - IC

Queen's Tower - IC

SW7, Imperial College Road, Queen's Tower

The stone was laid only 14 days into her 51st year so we're taking this as a late commemoration of her Golden Jubilee. And the remaining...

3 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
Lady Diana Cooper

Lady Diana Cooper

Renowned beauty, actress, aristocrat, socialite and political wife. Diana Cooper, Viscountess Norwich was born at 23A Bruton Street, as Lady Diana Olivia Winifred Maud Manners. Officially daughter...

Person, Cinema, Theatre

1 memorial
Lilian Baylis, C.H.

Lilian Baylis, C.H.

Theatrical producer and manager. Born 19 Nottingham Street, Marylebone, Niece of Emma Cons. Managed the Old Vic and Sadler's Wells. Ran other companies which later became: The English National Oper...

Person, Theatre, Africa

5 memorials
Diplomatic Gates

Diplomatic Gates

W1, Grosvenor Square

The spelling is probably a good indication of which country funded this memorial.

7 subjects commemorated
Henry Williamson

Henry Williamson

SE4, Eastern Road, 21

Henry Williamson, writer, 1895 - 1977, lived here, (1902 - 1920), presented by the Henry Williamson Society. Borough of Lewisham 

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators