Our History

Over 100 years ago our Founder, John Spedan Lewis, began an experiment into a better way of doing business by including staff in decision making on how the business would be run.  

He set out the principles for how the Company should operate and produced a written Constitution to help Partners understand their rights and responsibilities as co-owners.

Spedan Lewis wanted to create a way of doing business that was both commercial, allowing it to move quickly and stay ahead in a highly-competitive industry, and democratic, giving every Partner a voice in the business they co-own. This combination, so ahead of its time, continues to make us what we are today.

A Partnership with Purpose
 

For over 100 years, the John Lewis Partnership has set out to be a force for good. While that principle is alive and well within our business today, if we’re going to help address some of the biggest challenges of our time, we need to be even bolder.

Many businesses talk about Purpose but we walk with it - aiming to make sufficient profit to create a Partnership that is fairer and more sustainable for all Partners, customers, suppliers and communities we serve. 

Our Purpose promise “Working in Partnership for a Happier World” is not just a slogan. It is a deeply rooted and unshakable commitment that acts as our guide, inspires all our principles and influences every decision we make. 

Through it, we not only do things differently, but better. Always striving to make the world a better and happier place for everyone and everything our business touches.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Timeline

1864

1864

John Lewis opens a small draper’s shop on Oxford Street, London

1905

1905

John Lewis buys control of Peter Jones

1914

1914

John Lewis hands control of Peter Jones to his son John Spedan Lewis

1918

1918

First copy of our weekly in-house magazine – The Gazette – is published

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1919

John Spedan Lewis sets up a staff council and a charitable donation committee

1920

1920

Partners receive their first Partnership Bonus in the form of share promises

1928

1928

John Lewis Senior dies. First Constitution is published

1929

1929

John Lewis Partnership is incorporated as a limited company and first Trust Settlement created

1933

1929

Medical service created 19 years before the NHS providing free healthcare for all Partners

1937

1937

The Partnership buys Waitrose and a chain of ten shops from Wallace Waite

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1940

The Partnership doubles its size by buying 15 branches of the Selfridge Provincial Stores Group

1950

1950

Second Trust Settlement created and remaining shares and ultimate control transferred to Trustees

1963

1963

John Spedan Lewis dies

1970

1970

Partners receive Partnership Bonus in cash rather than stocks and cash

1979

1979

Six months long leave is introduced to Partners for 25 years of service to mark the 50th anniversary of the first Trust Settlement

2001

2001

Johnlewis.com launches

2007

2007

Sir Charlie Mayfield becomes Chairman and only the fifth in the Partnership’s history

2013

2013

The John Lewis Partnership’s Heritage Centre opens adjacent to the Odney Club in Cookham

2016

2016

John Lewis Magna Park Distribution Centre extension opens

2018

2018

John Lewis and Waitrose rebrand to John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners

 

John-Lewis-Partnership-2

2019

Future Partnership Plan Announced to Enable the Organisation to Be Managed and Operated as a Single Business

Sharon White

2020

Sharon White Becomes the John Lewis Partnership’s Sixth Chairman

2021 History timeline

2021

First UK Retailer to Introduce Six Months’ Equal Parenthood Paid Leave and Two Weeks’ Paid Pregnancy Loss Leave