JOHNSON, Paul. b. 1789; ed. St. John’s coll. Camb., B.A. 1811, M.A. 1814; R. of Sidestrand, Norfolk 1834–72; R. of Overstrand 1841–72; author of The fall of the Yarmouth suspension bridge, with reflections. Norwich 1845; The death of the prince imperial Louis Napoleon, a poem 1879; An epitome in verse of the life of the Prince Consort 1883. d. Kirmington, Ulceby, Lincs. 29 Oct. 1883.
JOHNSON, Percival Norton (only son of John Johnson, at one time the only commercial assayer in London). b. 1793; worked with his father; assayer and metallurgist at 79 Hatton garden, London about 1816; began and carried on manufacture of German silver, and introduced it to general use in England; invented several pottery colours, amongst them the rose-pink; the first person who refined and manufactured platinum upon a commercial scale; F.R.S. 30 April 1846; of firm of John Johnson & Sons, assayers of bullion, metals and minerals, 18A Basinghall st. London, assayers to the bank of England and the Mint. d. Stoke house near Dartmouth 1 June 1866. Quarterly Journal of geological soc. xxiii 39–41 (1867); Proc. of R.S. xvi 23–25 (1868).
Note.—He made and gave the Wollaston medals to geological society many years; they were composed of palladium, a metal discovered in platinum, which in 1867 became so scarce that it sometimes realized ten guineas per ounce.
JOHNSON, Peter. Professional swimmer. d. of inflammation of lungs in a cab whilst going to the hospital at Prague 4 Jany. 1890.
JOHNSON, Robert James. b. about 1832; architect at Newcastle; had a very large practice; A.R.I.B.A. 1861, F.R.I.B.A. 1865; F.S.A. d. Rock villa, Tunbridge Wells 18 April 1892.
JOHNSON, Thomas Marr. b. Appleby, Lincs. 29 June 1826; ed. Winterton, Lincs. and at Ripon; A.I.C.E. 6 April 1852, M.I.C.E. 7 Feb. 1863; res. engineer river Nene and Norfolk estuary works; with B. Baker (under J. Fowler’s instructions) res. engineer of Metropolitan railway, superintended design and execution 1860–9; member of firm of G. Smith & Co. builders and contractors, Feb. 1870 to death; with W. Mills superintended construction of Holborn viaduct station, London. d. 14 Westbourne st. Hyde park, London 20 July 1874. Min. of Proc. I.C.E. xxxix 268–9 (1875).
JOHNSON, Joseph Towers, stage name of Edward Joseph Towers. b. Kentish town, London 26 March 1815; clerk to Goding and Broadwood, ale brewers; made first appearance as Claude in The Bear hunt, Marylebone theatre 1835; at the Pavilion 1835–7, at the Garrick 1839, at Surrey 1840–7, at Lyceum 1847, at Sadler’s Wells; lessee Victoria theatre Nov. 1856 to 1866; stage manager for John Coleman on the Northern circuit 7 or 8 years; the Isaac Levi and Mr. Eden in the original cast of ‘Never too late to mend,’ produced at Royal theatre, Leeds 1864. d. 37 Mitford place, Upper Kennington lane, London 8 July 1891. bur. Tooting cemetery 13 July. Theatrical Times, ii 225, 242 (1847), portrait; The Players, iii 311 (1860), portrait.
JOHNSON, William (3 son of James Johnson of Kendal, attorney, who d. 1828). b. Kendal 1823; sub-editor of the Glasgow Practical mechanics’ and engineers’ magazine 1845–48; started The Practical Mechanics’ Journal, Glasgow 1848, edited it 1848 to death, 16 vols.; patent agent at Glasgow; A.I.C.E. 1850; edited Practical draughtsman’s book of industrial design 1861; author of The imperial cyclopædia of machinery 1852–6; with J. H. Johnson of Abstract of the patent law amendment act 1852. d. Glasgow 10 June 1864.
JOHNSON, William. b. Cumberland 1784; ed. St. John’s coll. Camb. 1810, B.D. 1827; C. of Grasmere 1811, teacher at Grasmere sch., and a friend of Wordsworth; in charge of National society’s sch. Holborn, taught on the Bell system 1812, school removed to Baldwin’s gardens 1814; trainer of masters, travelling organiser, inspector of schools, and later on cashier and comptroller of accounts of National Soc. to 1840; called the Patriarch of National Education; R. of St. Clement’s Eastcheap with St. Martin’s Orgar, London 19 Oct. 1820 to death. d. 29 Martin’s lane, Cannon st. London 20 Sep. 1864. G.M. xvii 526, 661 (1864).
JOHNSON, William. b. Hindley near Wigan, Lancs. 7 March 1831; ed. at Stonyhurst, Ampleforth and Prior park, Bath; missioner at St. Mary’s on the Quay, Bristol 1853–6 and at Chippenham, Wilts. 1856–9; assist. priest at pro-cathedral, Liverpool 1859–62; priest at Breck, Poulton-le-Fylde 1862–79 and at Lydiate 1879 to death; composer of Litany of B.V.M. for four voices 1872; Hail! holy Joseph hail! for four voices 1874; Missa de Sancta Maria 1880; Hail, thou resplendent star. Chorus with solo 1881; The lion and the bear 1878 and his other comic song obtained popularity. d. Lydiate 9 Oct. 1885. Gillow’s English Catholics, iii 641 (1887); Liverpool Catholic Almanac (1886) p. 96, portrait.