{{Short description|British businessman, barrister, and Conservative politician}} {{Other people|Oswald Lewis}} {{Use British English|date=March 2026}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | constituency_MP = Colchester | term_start = 30 May 1929 | term_end = 15 June 1945 | predecessor = Laming Worthington-Evans | successor = George Delacourt-Smith | name = Oswald Lewis | image = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1887|4|5}} | birth_place = Hampstead, London, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1966|2|12|1887|4|5}} | death_place = Highgate, London, England | other_names = | education = Westminster School | alma_mater = Christ Church, Oxford | occupation = | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = | party = Conservative | spouse = {{marriage|Frances Merriman|1928}} | children = 2 | mother = Eliza Baker | father = John Lewis | relatives = John Spedan Lewis (brother) }} '''Oswald Lewis''' (5 April 1887 – 12 February 1966) was a British businessman, barrister, and Conservative politician.<ref name="whowho">{{cite web|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U57518|title=LEWIS, Oswald|date=December 2007|work=Who Was Who|publisher=Oxford University Press|accessdate=6 June 2011}}</ref><ref name="rayment">{{cite web|url=http://www.leighrayment.com/commons/Ccommons5.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090810231328/http://www.leighrayment.com/commons/Ccommons5.htm|archive-date=10 August 2009|title=House of Commons constituencies beginning with "C"|work=Leigh Rayment's House of Commons page|url-status=usurped|accessdate=2 April 2009}}</ref>
== Early life == Born in Hampstead, north west London, Oswald Lewis was the younger son of John Lewis, founder of the John Lewis & Partners department store chain that bears his name,<ref name="whowho" /><ref name="obit">{{cite news|title=Obituary: Mr. Oswald Lewis|date=14 February 1966|work=The Times|page=12}}</ref> and Eliza Baker. He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford where he received the Boulter Exhibition in Law and graduated with an honours degree in jurisprudence.<ref name="whowho" /><ref name="cand">{{cite news|title=Colchester Conservative Candidate |date=31 December 1928|work=The Times|page=11}}</ref> He was called to the bar at the Middle Temple in 1912, but never practised.<ref name="cand" /> In 1911 he joined the 2nd County of London Yeomanry (Westminster Dragoons), and served in Egypt during the First World War.<ref name="whowho" />
== Business career == Lewis 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=City News in Brief|date=17 September 1928|work=The Times|page=21}}</ref>
Lewis returned to business after his political career came to an end; he was a member of the Worshipful Company of Farriers of the City of London, and was master of the company in 1952.<ref>{{cite news|title=Farriers Company|date=11 September 1952|work=The Times|page=9}}</ref>
== Political career == Although originally affiliated to the Liberal Party, having been a prospective parliamentary candidate for North Dorset, by 1928 he had moved to the Conservatives. In December 1928 he was chosen as Conservative candidate to defend the seat of Colchester at the upcoming general election.<ref name="cand" /> He was elected as Member of Parliament (MP) and entered the House of Commons upon the 30 May 1929 election. He held the seat until his defeat at the 1945 general election by George Smith,<ref name="craig1918-1950">{{cite book|title=British parliamentary election results 1918–1949|last=Craig|first=F. W. S.|publisher=Parliamentary Research Services|year=1983|isbn=0-900178-06-X|edition=3rd|location=Chichester|authorlink=F. W. S. Craig|orig-date=1969}}</ref> who became Colchester's first and only Labour MP. Throughout his political tenure, Lewis chaired a number of standing and select committees.
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.<ref>{{cite news|title=Marylebone Borough Council|date=24 November 1908|work=The Times|page=14}}</ref> He remained on the council until 1912.<ref name="whowho" /> In 1913 he was elected to the London County Council to represent Hoxton for the Liberal-backed Progressive Party.<ref>{{cite news|title=County Council Election|date=27 February 1913|work=The Times|page=10}}</ref><ref>''London County Council Election'', The Times, 7 March 1913, p. 10</ref> He sat on the council until 1919.<ref name="whowho" />
== Personal life == [[File:Grave of Oswald Lewis in Highgate Cemetery.jpg|thumb|Grave of Oswald Lewis in Highgate Cemetery]] On the year 1928, Lewis married Frances Merriman and the couple had two children, including Peter.<ref name="whowho" /> Lewis was the owner of Beechwood House, Highgate, a Grade II listed Georgian house in 11 acres of grounds in Highgate, north London.<ref name="CNJFeb10">{{cite news|url=http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2010/feb/oligarch-alisher-usmanov-%E2%80%98wants-expand-empire%E2%80%99|title=Oligarch Alisher Usmanov 'wants to expand empire'|date=4 February 2010|work=Camden New Journal|accessdate=10 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160522085835/http://www.camdennewjournal.com/news/2010/feb/oligarch-alisher-usmanov-%E2%80%98wants-expand-empire%E2%80%99|archive-date=22 May 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
He died at Beechwood House on the 12 February 1966, aged 78,<ref name="obit" /> and is buried on the western side of Highgate Cemetery, on the main path near the entrance to the Egyptian Avenue.
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{Hansard-contribs | mr-oswald-lewis | Oswald Lewis }}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|uk}} {{succession box | title = Member of Parliament for Colchester | years = 1929–1945 | before = Sir Laming Worthington-Evans | after = George Smith }} {{s-end}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Oswald}} Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies Category:UK MPs 1929–1931 Category:People educated at Westminster School, London Category:UK MPs 1931–1935 Category:UK MPs 1935–1945 Category:1887 births Category:1966 deaths Category:Burials at Highgate Cemetery Category:Progressive Party (London) politicians Category:Members of London County Council Category:Members of the Middle Temple Category:Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Category:Westminster Dragoons officers Category:Members of St Marylebone Metropolitan Borough Council Category:People from Hampstead