Basic Biographical Details Name: | Robert James Johnson | Designation: | | Born: | 1832 | Died: | 18 April 1892 | Bio Notes: | Robert James Johnson was born in 1832 and trained in the office of John S Middleton of Darlington. He was an assistant in the practice of Sir George Gilbert Scott in London from 1849 to 1858. In that year he entered into partnership with Francis Robert Newton Haswell in North Shields. By 1861 or 1862 he was back in London, but he later practised in Newcastle in partnership with Thomas Austin, with whom he purchased the practice of John Dobson in 1865. However Thomas Austin was in poor health and Johnson was in effect the sole practitioner as Austin spent the last two years of his life travelling in an endeavour to recover fitness but died in 1867. William Searle Hicks joined the partnership in 1875, the practice title becoming Austin, Johnson & Hicks though he was based in Middlesborough and was responsible for his own projects during the partnership. In the early 1890s ill-health forced Johnson to take A B Gibson and A Crawford Hicks into partnership. Johnson died on 18 April 1892.
Johnson was held in high regard by his contemporaries and was a particular favourite of George Gilbert Scott. | Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | | North Shields, Tyneside, England | Business | 1858 | Before 1861 | | | 10, Belgrave Street South, Pimlico, London, England | Private/business(?) | 1861 | | | | Newcastle upon Tyne, England | Business | 1875 * | | |
* earliest date known from documented sources.
Employment and TrainingEmployers
RIBARIBA Proposals
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | | 1858 | Trinity Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Won open competition (joint first place with Lanyon & Lynn?) - not built | | 1882 | Tyne Improvement Commission Offices | | | Newcastle-upon-Tyne | England | Working with John James Stevension |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | British Architectural Library, RIBA | 2001 | Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 | | | | | Faulkner, T E | 1995 | Robert James Johnson, architect and antiquary | 56, pt 1 | Durham University Journal, January 1995, pp3-11 | |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Archaeologia Aeliana | 1913 | ser 3, 10 | | pp272-3 | | Newcastle Chronicle | 25 April 1892 | | | Called 'Newcastle Daily Chronicle' by 1892 | | Newcastle Journal | 2 April 1892 | | | Called 'Newcastle Daily Journal' by this date |
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