Elder son of John Lewis who owned the John Lewis department store in London, John Spedan Lewis was educated at Heath Mount and Westminster before joining the family business at 19.  In 1914 took control of Peter Jones in Sloane Square and on his father’s death, he formed the John Lewis Partnership and began distributing profits among its employees in 1929. He transferred control of the company to the employees in 1950, resigning as chairman in 1955.