Andrew Hewson
Born: December 30, 1942;
Died: February 5, 2026
Andrew Hewson, who has died aged 83 of oesophageal cancer, was a literary agent who was much admired and respected throughout the profession both by colleagues and authors. Many have commented on Hewson’s honesty, charm and “good old-fashioned courtliness”. He had the ability to help an author through a challenging period and had a shrewd eye for spotting a prospective best-seller. Hewson was a consummate diplomat who built his career improving the careers of others while never seeking the limelight for himself.
Charles Andrew Dale Hewson, known affectionately to all as Drew, was born in Buckinghamshire but was brought up in Aberdeenshire. He and his sister Susan were the children of their Canadian-born father, George, who was serving in the war and their mother Irene (Richardson). That marriage was dissolved in 1952 and Hewson was brought up in Aboyne by his mother who enjoyed a successful career as a novelist; her wartime novel, Women in Exile, had enjoyed much success.
Hewson attended Glenalmond College where he showed a keen interest in the arts and acting in the school plays. The retired Edinburgh solicitor, Tom Drysdale, shared a study with Hewson and recalls, “Andrew was a good friend and excellent and congenial person to share a room with: always friendly, fun and relaxed. He was a member of a group who even then had a marked literary and artistic bent.”
He then read history at St Andrews getting an MA (Hons) degree and continued his interest in the theatre, often appearing with the university drama group The Mermaids where he was often directed by fellow student and future west end director Alan Strachan. While at St Andrews, he married Margaret (Watson) in 1969; the two would form an impressive personal and business relationship.
In the early 1970s, Hewson went to London and joined the literary agency run by John Johnson, brother of the actress Celia Johnson best known for the film Brief Encounter, with the challenge to expand both the firm’s US connections and its list of American playwrights. In 1977 Johnson retired and Hewson acquired the agency and was joined by Margaret. They worked in remarkable harmony shaping and greatly advancing the careers of novelists such as Dick Francis and William Trevor, and non fiction writers including Peter Fleming and Maeve Binchy.
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The firm never chased the fashion of the writing world but delighted in supporting new talents as well as the established and well known. When Dick Francis died, Hewson carefully continued the annual racing novel by suggesting Dick’s son Felix wrote the Christmas best-seller. It proved a great success and in 2011 Felix’s novel, Gamble, was published.
Hewson and Francis continued the tradition of sending a copy to Buckingham Palace – originally to the Queen Mother as Francis had ridden all her steeplechase horses. Now the King receives the gift and he has commented, “As usual, my wife grabs it, but I’ll get my hands on it eventually.”
Beryl Bainbridge was the firm’s most celebrated client and she figured large in Hewson’s list from 1985. She also became a great personal friend; they laughed together and disliked anything pretentious. But Hewson stabilised Bainbridge’s financial affairs and guided her to write several best-selling books.
He regularly accompanied her to Booker Prize dinners for which she was nominated on five occasions. However, he usually had a good idea if she was going to win – “Unfortunately, I noticed the TV cables never snaked towards our table,” he commented.
He remained a devoted and proud Scot. He retained his mother’s house, Glengairn in Aboyne, and much enjoyed the life-style of the area. He and Margaret became passionate hill walkers over the Deeside hills and moors: in his recreations in Who’s Who he lists “Early morning swimming, hill walking – in good boots”.
He often invited his authors up for treks across the countryside and took them on lengthy mushroom hunts in all sorts of weather. He was a passionate angler in the nearby lochs and spent happy months gardening in his house in the South of France.
One of his first jobs at John Johnson – and which he proudly retained till he left – was to unfurl the Union Jack outside their Mayfair office on royal birthdays.
A former colleague, Charlie Campbell, of Greyhound Literary, remembers Hewson fondly, “Andrew may well have been the nicest person in publishing. He was also a brilliant literary agent. I was lucky enough to start out as his assistant in 2004 and I immediately thought 'this is what publishing should be like'. Funny, warm and so self-effacing.”
Margaret died in 2002. In 2012 Hewson married Carmela Bromhead-Jones. She and Anna, a daughter by his first marriage, survive him.
ALASDAIR STEVEN
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