Johnson, George Collection

George Alfred Johnson (1879-1952) was born at Great Crosby, Lancashire, England. After a stint in the army, he qualified as an architect in 1905. Soon afterwards, Johnson arrived in Shanghai, apparently with only £10 in his pocket. In 1913, he become a partner with Henry Lester and Gordon Morriss as Lester, Johnson & Morris, Architects and Civil Engineers, whose offices were on the Bund, Shanghai, at 1 Kinkiang Road. Johnson married Myrtle Harris (1898-1976) at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Shanghai in May 1917. The couple lived at 727 Avenue Haig and had four children. In 1935, George, Myrtle, an amah and their youngest son Robert Basil Johnson, left China to live in England. Only a selection of the George Johnson Collection is currently online. HPC refs: GJ01, GJ02, GJ03 and GJ-s.