| Thomas Johnson - Lichfield Architect | |
Thomas Johnson (1794-1865) was a notable architect who was based for most of his life in Lichfield, running a business first from Tamworth Street and, from the early 1830s, from Davidson House in Upper St John Street. Thomas was born in in Stone in December 1794 and became a pupil of the Lichfield architect Joseph Potter (1756-1852). He continued his training in London in the practice of John Shaw (1776-1832). After returning to Staffordshire he went into partnership with the Colwich builder and architect James Trubshaw (1777-1853) for about five years. During this time they are known to have worked together on building or restoring several Staffordshire churches. James Trubshaw later achieved fame as a civil engineer. In October 1825 Thomas married Mary, the daughter of James Trubshaw and they settled in Lichfield. Their first home was in Tamworth Street; but, by 1834, they were living in what became their permanent home at No. 67 Upper St John Street. This is the large house that we now know as 'Davidson House' after Brigadier General C.S. Davidson, who lived there in the 20th century. [1] Thomas and Mary had eleven children. All were baptised in Lichfield, either at St Mary's or later at St Michael's on Greenhill. Thomas died aged 71 and was buried at St Michael's on 7th May 1865. Mary died ten years later and was buried on 23rd February 1875 at St Mary's, Uttoxeter. [2] Their eldest son, Thomas (Moreton) Johnson, was listed as being in partnership with his father in the trade directories for a few years but did not pursue a career as an architect, apparently preferring to work in the wine trade. Two younger sons, Robert and James followed a career as civil engineers and in 1857 Robert was elected to full membership of the Institute of Civil Engineers. Six of their seven daughters married, one to a civil engineer. So far as is known, the first project on which Thomas Johnson and James Trubshaw worked together was the new Royal Manchester Institution which had been designed by Sir Charles Barry. This building, now better known as the Manchester Art Gallery, is Grade I listed. The partnership went on to design and build two large churches in Staffordshire; St Peter ad Vincular in Stoke-on-Trent and St James the Less in Outer Longton. They also carried out a substantial rebuild of St Mary's at Uttoxeter, retaining the 14th century tower with its recessed spire. From 1830 Johnson was working on his own account as an architect and builder. Projects in Lichfield soon followed: a sewer he laid in Bore Street in 1832 was the first in the City. This project, costing £ 500, was funded by the Conduit Lands Trust. He was, however, less successful in his bid for the new Union Workhouse on Trent Valley Road. That contract was awarded in 1840, by the new Board of Guardians, to the relatively new partnership of George Gilbert Scott and William Boynton Moffatt from London. In 1842 Johnson carried out an extensive restoration of the nave at St Michael's on Greenhill, keeping to the "Early English" style, and in 1844 he went on to design the new Christ Church at Leomansley in an "Early Decorated" style. Both of these Lichfield churches are now Grade II* listed. Johnson's work can also be seen at three other locations in Lichfield: 1840 - The Dioscesan Training School on Minster Pool Walk
(later St Mary's infants school and now an antiques centre); In 1849 Thomas designed the original Railway Bridge over St John Street for the South Staffordshire Railway. This castellated structure was featured in the Illustrated London News of 14th April 1849. [Presumably the South Staffordshire Railway's architect Edward Adams, who may have designed the first Lichfield City station, approved this unusual design]. This is not, however, the bridge that we see today as it was almost completely rebuilt in 1882 by the London & North Western Railway. Fortunately, they retained the two large armorial bearings and eight smaller shields that had been designed for the original bridge by the Lichfield banker, Richard Greene. Soon after his new business had been founded Johnson was working on a series on prestigious country houses. Norcliffe Hall in Styal, (1831) and Mere New Hall (1834), both in Cheshire, are described as being in brick, "Elizabethan" style; but, sadly, most of the latter was destroyed in a fire in 1957. Two other houses were built by Thomas Johnson in the Tudor style; Cressbrook Hall in Derbyshire (1834) was subsequently altered; but Heath House at Tean, Staffordshire, survives and is now Grade II* listed. Nikolaus Pevsner describes this house as "His [Johnson's] domestic 'chef d'oeuvre'". Thomas Johnson was elected to the City Council in 1841 and served as Mayor of Lichfield in 1847. Thomas was a member of the Lichfield Society for the Encouragement of Eccesiastical Architecture that was founded in 1841. This local society was affiliated to the Cambridge Camden Society who advocated a return to the Medieval form of church design. At their first AGM in June 1843, held in the recently completed Dioscesan Training School, Thomas gave a lengthy address in which he stressed the importance of paying attention to detailed design. Canon William Gresley, Richard Greene, Canon John Thomas Law and the artist John Louis Petit were also members at this time. The society continued to meet for at least ten years, holding their 4th AGM in 1850. The high population growth in the early years of the 19th century meant that there was often insufficient space in the parish churches for the growing number of worshippers. Many existing churches were enlarged and the Government provided funds for new churches to be built. These "Commissioner's Churches" provided work for many architects and local builders, including both Thomas Johnson and James Trubshaw. New churches were also built for local landowners and here the architect probably had more influence over the design. Between 1832 and 1857 Thomas Johnson built at least a dozen more churches, generally working within a 25-mile radius of Lichfield. Although two have since been demolished, eight remain in use today and most have been listed by Historic England. The full list of his work includes at least three churches in Derbyshire and two each in Lincolnshire and Warwickshire. [3] Although his early work on Churches is generally described as "Early English" in later years it was more often in the early 14th century "Decorated" style. The new church of All Saint's at Leigh, west of Uttoxeter, which was funded by Richard Bagot of Blithfield in 1846, has received particularly high praise; "showing that he [Johnson] had clearly understood the Camden Society principles". This church, which is listed Grade II* by Historic England, is well worth a visit but can be difficult to find. Under the National Schools building program more than 200 new schools were built in Staffordshire between 1835 and 1875. Plans by Thomas Johnson for three of these, including the National School at Wetley Rocks (1842) and the former Girl's School at Whittington (1864) are held by the Staffordshire County archives. The latter was listed in 2012, citing "architectural merit and attention to detail". Clearly, although now at the age of 70, he was still a proficient architect. Sadly, this was to be his last project as he died the following year. Notes: [1] The name "Davidson House" was adopted in 1938 for the building which had previously been known as St John's Lodge. [2] The "Angel" monument in St Michael's churchyard was erected in memory of Thomas and Mary's grandson James, who died in infancy, and their daughter-in-law Frances, who died shortly after her third child was born. They are buried in Flint and Chester respectively. [3] St John's church at Wall, that was previously credited to Scott & Moffat, has recently been reassigned to "probably by Johnson" by a leading authority. Further Reading:
Peter Cousins |
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