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.
Everything begins with the Partnership’s ultimate purpose and Principle 1:
The happiness of all its members, through their worthwhile and satisfying employment in a successful business.
Because the Partnership is owned in trust for its members,
they share the responsibilities of ownership as well as its rewards - profit, knowledge and power.
Principle 1 will always be the most important principle of the seven in our Constitution. By putting the happiness of our Partners first, we believe we can better honour our commitment to offer our millions of customers quality products and outstanding service.
YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW TIMELINE
1864
John Lewis opens a small draper’s shop on Oxford Street, London
1905
John Lewis buys control of Peter Jones
1914
John Lewis hands control of Peter Jones to his son John Spedan Lewis
1918
First copy of our weekly in-house magazine - The Gazette - is published
1919
John Spedan Lewis sets up a staff council and a charitable donation committee
1920
Partners receive their first Partnership Bonus in the form of share promises
1928
John Lewis Senior dies. First Constitution is published
1929
John Lewis Partnership is incorporated as a limited company and first Trust Settlement created
1929
Medical service created 19 years before the NHS providing free healthcare for all Partners
1937
The Partnership buys Waitrose and a chain of ten shops from Wallace Waite
1940
The Partnership doubles its size by buying 15 branches of the Selfridge Provincial Stores Group
1950
Second Trust Settlement created and remaining shares and ultimate control transferred to Trustees
1963
John Spedan Lewis dies
1970
Partners receive Partnership Bonus in cash rather than stocks and cash
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
Johnlewis.com launches
2007
Sir Charlie Mayfield becomes Chairman and only the fifth in the Partnership’s history
2013
The John Lewis Partnership’s Heritage Centre opens adjacent to the Odney Club in Cookham
2016
John Lewis Magna Park Distribution Centre extension opens
2018
John Lewis and Waitrose rebrand to John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners
2019
FUTURE PARTNERSHIP PLAN ANNOUNCED TO ENABLE THE ORGANISATION TO BE MANAGED AND OPERATED AS A SINGLE BUSINESS
2020
SHARON WHITE BECOMES THE JOHN LEWIS PARTNERSHIP'S SIXTH CHAIRMAN
2021
FIRST UK RETAILER TO INTRODUCE SIX MONTHS' EQUAL PARENTHOOD PAID LEAVE AND TWO WEEKS' PAID PREGNANCY LOSS LEAVE