Researching Wyndham Lewis

His novels include Tarr (1918) and The Human Age trilogy, composed of The Childermass (1928), Monstre Gai (1955) and Malign Fiesta (1955). A fourth volume, titled The Trial of Man, was unfinished at the time of his death. He also wrote two autobiographical volumes: Blasting and Bombardiering (1937) and Rude Assignment: A Narrative of my Career Up-to-Date (1950).

Lewis was the son of Reverend Wyndham Lewis, of Tongwynlais, Glamorganshire. He sat as Member of Parliament for Cardiff from 1820 to 1826, for Aldeburgh from 1827 to 1829 and for Maidstone from 1835 to 1838.

Lewis married Mary Anne, daughter of John Evans, in 1816. They had no children. He died in March 1838, in London's Mayfair, aged 57. His widow married Benjamin Disraeli in 1839 and was created Viscountess Beaconsfield in 1868.

Mary Anne Lewis and Wyndham Lewis are mentioned in the book penned by the former politician, Douglas Hurd, about the needy "D'Israeli", on page 79. A quote from that book, tells us;

"It was at this moment that Mary Anne Lewis entered the scene. D'israeli had met Mary Anne five years previously, when he described her as a 'rattle and flirt'. At the Bulwers', Disraeli had been asked to take her down to dinner, he responded: "Oh anything rather than that insufferable woman, but Allah is Great." Five years on she seemed less insufferable to D'Israeli when he stood for Maidstone alongside her husband, Wyndham Lewis. Mrs Lewis already had a friendly eye for D'Israeli and during the contest the couple loaned him money for his election expenses. Both men were elected, but Wyndham died suddenly several months later. From that moment on, the connection between Mary Anne and D'Israeli grew in intensity...