David Lewis

A MUCH admired ex-policeman, who settled in Bristol after a stint in Palestine and London has passed away, aged 84. David Lewis was born in Vine Cottage, Midland Road, in Bristol as the middle child of three.

He relished junior school and finished his education at Bristol Grammar.

Mr Lewis was orphaned, and by the age of 16 he started work in the offices of WD & HO Wills and not long afterwards met his future bride Mary.

They both came from Non-Conformist families and met at a church pageant in the Victoria Rooms.

He first proposed at 17 years of age and after being turned down he joined the Palestine Police Force, serving there from 1945 to 1948 when the British withdrawal from Palestine took place.

He finally swept Mary off her feet in October, 1948 when they married. Over the next three years they had two children, Rosemarie and Robert.

Initially he joined the Metropolitan Police before transferring to the Bristol force, living in a police house in Canford Lane.

He became tired of life in the force and became a travelling salesman before joining his wife in managing a china shop in East Street Bedminster where they lived over the shop.

After a few years they bought out the owner and built up a successful business there.

With the redevelopment of the area they took a huge gamble and became the first independent retailer to open a shop in Broadweir where they ran a thriving gift shop for 29 years. He became very well known in the retail gift trade and was admired and respected for his honesty and willingness to help others

Osteo-arthritis forced his early retirement at the age of 63, in 1991.

While in business he and his wife enjoyed going on holiday to France.

They enjoyed going to the theatre but much of their sparse leisure time was spent at their 300-year-old home in Portishead which they bought in 1968.

In later years, unable to face long journeys to France they enjoyed annual trips to the Lake District.

An interest in history, politics, economics, music and crime fiction reflected the breadth of his character.

He died on June 13, 2012 at the BRI after a heart attack.

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