Warren Lewis facts for kids

Warren Hamilton Lewis (born June 16, 1895 – died April 9, 1973) was an Irish historian and an officer in the British Army. He is most famous for being the older brother of the well-known writer and professor, C. S. Lewis. Warren Lewis worked as a supply officer for the Royal Army Service Corps during and after the First World War. After he retired in 1932, he moved to Oxford to live with his brother. There, he became one of the first members of the Inklings, a casual group of writers and thinkers at Oxford. He wrote several books about French history and also worked as his brother's secretary later in C. S. Lewis's life.

Growing Up Together

C. S. Lewis often called his older brother Warren, or "Warnie," his "dearest and closest friend." Their strong friendship lasted their whole lives. It began when they were boys playing at their home, Little Lea, on the edge of Belfast. They would write and draw stories for their own fantasy world called Boxen. This world was a mix of India and another made-up place called Animal-Land.

In 1908, their mother passed away from cancer. While their father was sad, C. S. (who was called "Jack") and Warren Lewis found comfort and support in each other. Soon after their mother's death, Jack was sent to join Warren at an English boarding school. This school was called Wynyard and was in Watford, Hertfordshire, near London. At Wynyard, they had a difficult time because of a harsh headmaster. Warren had started at Wynyard in 1905. In 1909, Warren moved to Malvern College in Worcestershire, where his brother also went a few years later. Warren finished his studies at Malvern in 1913.

Joining the Army

On September 10, 1913, Warren Lewis began to study on his own with William T. Kirkpatrick. He was preparing for the entrance exam to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He did very well on the test, placing 22nd out of 201 students. This earned him a special scholarship, and he entered the college on February 4, 1914. This scholarship helped reduce the fees he had to pay.

Because of the war, he finished his training at the Royal Military College in only nine months. Usually, the course lasted 18 months to two years. On October 1, 1914, he became a second lieutenant in the Royal Army Service Corps.

He was sent to France on November 4, 1914. There, he served with the British Army during the First World War. He was made a temporary captain on September 24, 1916.

Life After the Wars

After the First World War ended, Warren served in many different places. These included Belgium, Sierra Leone, and China. He had two tours of duty in China, staying in places like Hong Kong and Shanghai. He retired from the army on December 21, 1932, as a captain. He had served for 18 years. He was called back to active service on September 4, 1939, during World War II, and was given the temporary rank of major.

After World War II, he moved in with his brother at a house called The Kilns near Oxford. He lived there until C. S. Lewis passed away in November 1963.

His Books and Writings

Warren Lewis is buried in his brother, C. S. Lewis's grave at Holy Trinity Church, Headington

Soon after he first retired in 1932, Warren Lewis started organizing the Lewis family's old papers. After his final retirement, he began to research something he had always loved: the history of France in the 1600s. He published seven books about France during the time of King Louis XIV. He wrote these books under the name W. H. Lewis. Some of his well-known books include The Splendid Century and Levantine Adventurer.

After C. S. Lewis died in 1963, Warren put together and edited the first published collection of his brother's letters in 1966. He also wrote a special memory of his brother to introduce the letters. Later versions of these letters were edited by Walter Hooper.

Before he passed away, Warren gave many of the Lewis family papers to the Marion E. Wade Collection at Wheaton College. These papers included writings from both C. S. Lewis and himself. In 1982, parts of Warren Lewis's diary were published in a book called Brothers and Friends.

His Personal Life

Warren Lewis renewed his Christian faith in May 1931. He often joined the weekly meetings of the Inklings, a group of writers and friends. He wrote about these meetings in his diary. During the 1930s, the Lewis brothers went on eight walking tours each year. They would walk as far as 50 miles (80 km) on these trips. Years later, Warren remembered these trips fondly, saying they were "jolly good fun."

Warren Lewis was buried in the churchyard of Holy Trinity Church in Headington, Oxford. He is buried in the same grave as his brother, C. S. Lewis.

Some of His Publications

• The Splendid Century: Some Aspects of French Life in the Reign of Louis XIV. (1953)
• The Sunset of the Splendid Century: The Life and Times of Louis Auguste de Bourbon, Duc de Maine. (1955)
• Louis XIV: An Informal Portrait. (1959)
• Levantine Adventurer: The Travels and Missions of the Chevalier d'Arvieux. (1962)
• Letters of C. S. Lewis (as editor). (1966)
• Finding Narnia: The Story of C. S. Lewis and His Brother by Caroline McAlister; illustrated by Jessica Lanan. (2019) (This is a children's picture book about the brothers.)

See also

In Spanish: Warren Lewis para niños