Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Johnson, John (1754-1814)
JOHNSON, JOHN (1754–1814), architect, born in Southgate Street, Leicester, in 1754, was son of John and Frances Johnson, who are buried in St. Martin's Church, Leicester, where a monument was designed by their son to their memory. Johnson left Leicester early in life, and practised as an architect with great success in London and many parts of England. His principal works were at Chelmsford in Essex, where he designed the county hall in 1792, and published the designs in 1808. The one-arched bridge at Chelmsford was built by him in 1787; he restored the church of St. Mary there in 1803 after its fall in 1800, and completed the new county gaol and the house of correction. After the completion of the county hall, Johnson was presented with a testimonial and a silver cup by the gentry of Essex (see Chelmsford Chronicle, 13 Jan. 1792). He was for twenty-six years architect and surveyor to the county of Essex. On returning to Leicester, he built on the site of the house in which he was born a ‘Consanguinitarium,’ or home of refuge for his relations, which he endowed from a charge on an estate in chancery. A view of this building is given by Nichols in his ‘History of Leicestershire,’ i. 528, where a list of Johnson's architectural works will be found. Johnson died at Leicester in 1814, aged 60.
[Dict. of Architecture; Gent. Mag. 1814, vol. lxxxiv. pt. ii. p. 296; Nichols's History of Leicestershire, i. 528, 604.]