▁store ▁was ▁extended ▁and ▁other ▁properties ▁were ▁purchased , ▁including ▁property ▁on ▁the ▁opposite ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁High ▁Street . ▁By ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁a ▁new ▁bridge ▁was ▁built ▁sp anning ▁Gran ville ▁Gro ve ▁linking ▁the ▁two ▁half s ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁store . ▁ ▁Exp ansion ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 3 , ▁Ch ies mans ▁began ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁expansion ▁beyond ▁Lew ish am ▁with ▁the ▁purchase ▁of ▁D enn iss ▁Pa ine ▁& ▁Co . ▁of ▁Ma id stone , ▁Kent . The ▁next ▁ac quisition ▁was ▁that ▁of ▁Mart ins ▁of ▁Can ter bury ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁while ▁a ▁third ▁store ▁was ▁added ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁at ▁Gra ves end ▁( pre viously ▁Bon ▁Mar che ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁the ▁business ▁became ▁a ▁Public ▁Limited ▁Company , ▁with ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁shares ▁being ▁retained ▁by ▁the ▁Ch ies man ▁family . ▁Over ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁years ▁stores ▁were ▁purchased ▁in ▁Tun bridge ▁Well s ▁( W ay marks , ▁ 1 9 5 8 ), ▁the ▁Is le ▁of ▁W ight ▁( Ed ward ▁Morris , ▁ 1 9 5 9 ), ▁Il ford ▁( B urn es , ▁ 1 9 5 9 ), ▁U pton ▁Park ▁( John ▁Lewis , ▁ 1 9 5 9 ) ▁and ▁Ro chester ▁( Le on ards , ▁ 1 9 5 9 ). ▁The ▁Lew ish am ▁store ▁was ▁extended ▁again ▁in ▁