Oswald Lewis

Who was Oswald Lewis?

Oswald Lewis was a British businessman, barrister and politician.

Born in Hampstead, north west London, he was the younger son of John Lewis, founder of the chain of department stores that bears his name. He was educated at Westminster School and Christchurch, Oxford where he received the Boulter Exhibition in Law and graduated with an honours degree in jurisprudence. He was called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1912, but never practised.

In 1911 he joined the 2nd County of London Yeomanry, and served in western Europe during the First World War.

In 1908 Lewis entered local politics when he was elected to St Marylebone Borough Council at a byelection. He was supported by both the Conservative and Liberal parties against a Labour Party candidate. He remained on the council until 1912. In 1913 he was elected to the London County Council to represent Hoxton for the Liberal-backed Progressive Party. He sat on the council until 1919.

He was a partner in John Lewis & Company until his father's death in 1928, when he sold his shares to his brother John Spedan Lewis. In the same year he married Frances Merriman and the couple had two children.