. At least one other John Johnson is recorded in the 1880s so at least three architects of this name are known: they are known to have executed at least 50 buildings in England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland.
John Johnson (1810 - 28 December 1878) was an English architect who worked mainly in London and its suburbs and built a number of Gothic Revival churches. He is, however, best remembered as the architect of the Alexandra Palace. For most of his career he had business addresses on two streets around the Adelphi: 9 John Street and 14 Buckingham Street.
Johnson's birthplace is not known.[1] In 1833, he received the Gold Medallion of the Royal Society of Arts for a competition design, in 1835 the Silver Medal of the Royal Academy, and in 1836 a Travelling Studentship.[2] He studied in Italy between 1836 and 1840,[1] published Johnson's Churches of Northampton and worked for some years as District Surveyor of East Hackney.[2]. At least 6 of his commissions are linked with Sir John Kelk: Grosvenor Square, Lancaster Gate, Prince's Gate, Bentley Priory and Tedworth, Wiltshire.
1847-49: St Paul's Church, Camden Square, with Frederick W Ordish. One of Johnson's three Commissioners' churches. "Owing to damage sustained (1939–45) it was demolished in 1949, with the exception of the tower, spire and parish hall"[6]
1849-50: St Edward the Confessor, Romford. Some of the building material came from Nash's recently demolished Quadrant in Regent Street. "Large and ambitious ... Fussy enough to impress."[10]
1851-6: St Matthew, Oakley Square, Camden Town, demolished in 1977.[12] Johnson's vicarage, built at the same time as the church, survives - "boldly Gothic in polychrome brick".[13]
1852-54: St Andrew's Church, Thornhill Square, Barnsbury, Islington, with Francis B. Newman. The only one of Johnson's Commissioners' churches that survives. It is a Grade II listed building.[14] "Like a medieval village church transposed into this classical urban lay-out.... Interior spoiled in the 1960s by ugly partitioning and the removal of the prominent Caen stonepulpit and pews."[15]
1855-6: St Mary's, Greenhithe, (Kent), with George John Vulliamy (1817–1886). H. S. Goodhart-Rendel's opinion was: "Extremely cleverly detailed, like all of Johnson's work; - whether you like it or not is a different matter."[17]
1861: St Peter's, Upper Woolhampton, Berkshire. "Early English details, very gross inside, especially the chancel and the two-bay arcade to the low transepts."[22]
1861-2: St Andrew, Romford."Many of the original fittings remain."[10]
Obituary in The Builder of 11th Jan 1879, p.53 "of 14 Buckingham Street, Adelphi" which he occupied c1870-1879. Johnson also had chambers at No. 9 St. John Street, Adelphi c1845-1865