A Remembrance: PETER LEWIS International Ambassador
Our industry is international in scope as a result of the hard work and dedication of many outstanding individuals over the years. One of those international ambassadors, Peter Lewis, founder of Adeloo in South London, England, passed away on May 22, 2025. His story is one of dedication, determination and service to our industry – all while maintaining his trademark sense of humor.
Who better to share Peter Lewis’ story than another renowned international industry member, Martin Murdoch? Here are Martin’s thoughts and memories:
“Where do you start with a larger-than-life character than that of Peter Lewis?
I first met Peter back in the very early 90s when he rocked up at Site-a-Loo in Ballena Close in Poole one day, along with his good friend and business partner, Dave Hennessey, looking at the possibility of purchasing some Poly Portable toilet units. Apparently, he had been toying with the idea of getting into this business through another of his friends in the plant and tool hire business, also based near his small plant hire business in Eltham, South East London. However, Peter was also very keen on auction sales within the plant industry and as such had initially purchased a number of Poly Portable yellow toilets from a company in Glasgow, who had decided that the toilet rental business didn’t fit with their overall business plan, so needless to say Peter secured a ‘good deal’ on the purchase of these initial toilets and the rest I suppose is history!
Peter’s initial premises was a small shop on the corner of Well Hall Parade and Greenvale Street in a residential area of Eltham from where he had a small tool hire rental business, though over the course of time he dispensed with the tool hire and concentrated solely on the toilet hire and hence moved to larger premises only about 500 metres further up the Well Hall Road to Tudor Parade behind the local petrol filling station from where he operated for a large number of years, running and expanding his toilet rental company Adeloo, which he devoted all his time and attention to, thoroughly embedding himself within the business of portable toilet rental.
Not long after meeting Peter for the first time in the early 90’s, he soon joined the newly established UK toilet association PSE, becoming an active member and supporting the growth of the association to the extent that, latterly, between 2009 and 2017 was one of the two directors of the Association. Peter actively promoted PSE, attending not only the associations trade exhibitions here in the UK but travelled most years to the Pumpers in Nashville and to the WWETT shows held in other US cities but also the PSAI conventions as well as the ARA exhibitions, just to still keep abreast of his old business interests in the plant and tool hire industry.
Peter was a larger than life character and all in the toilet industry, both home and abroad, will no doubt have come across him over the course of time, no doubt in a bar somewhere holding court with his stories and anecdotes that were also his trademark. I was also lucky enough (if that’s the right phraseology!) to travel with him in his trusty Mercedes during the PSAI Board of Directors meeting was held in Germany in 2015. Primarily sponsored by Peter Fliegenschmidt of Global Fliegenschmidt and with the added assistance of the late Lothar Vermillion who between them organised the travel and accommodation for the trip, Peter decided that he would make his own travel arrangements for the tour and as such, and as I was the PSE General Secretary at that time, he suggested that I should accompany him on the trip and so it was that I spent the best part of 6 days in his company, which was a blast!
The above picture was taken at the Eurotoi exhibition at the Nurburg Ring in March 2017, no doubt after the previous night in the bar at the Dorint Hotel, where Peter would have been in full swing at the bar entertaining all those around him and no doubt sitting amongst his many friends from both near and far, a most congenial host!
Peter will be sadly missed by all who knew him, not only from his time within the toilet industry but also prior to when he was actively involved in the plant and tool hire business. As well as his family and many friends I can only state that it was a pleasure to have known him and to have been in his company on so many an occasion and, from my perspective, I have also lost a good friend who had my back on a number of occasions, throughout my time both within PSE and the industry in general.
Peter Lewis was also an active and instrumental international leader as a member of the PSAI. The January/February 2011 “PSAI In Action” newsletter featured Peter and his company, Adeloo, as the feature story in that edition. Here are more instances of Peter’s hard work and accomplishments – all while maintaining his renowned sense of humor:
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Terri and I had the privilege of attending the previously mentioned 2015 PSAI Board of Directors Trip to Germany. Peter Lewis was an absolute pleasure to speak with, to learn from, and to laugh with on this weeklong journey of visiting fellow portable restroom operators and suppliers with Toi Toi & Dixi and GLOBAL Fliegenschmidt, along with BDE (German Sanitation Association) members. At every meeting, Peter Lewis was active, involved, and willing to share his vast industry knowledge and experience. Thank you, Peter, for all that you did for our industry!
Written by Martin Murdoch & Jeff Wigley