George William Johnson (writer)
Encyclopedia
George William Johnson was a British writer on gardening.
china-works, and of salt-works at Heybridge in Essex
.
At Heybridge Johnson and his elder brother, Cuthbert William Johnson, first found employment, and carried out experiments in the application of salt as manure
, which they recounted in An Essay on the Uses of Salt for Agriculture. One of their discoveries was an economical method of separating sulphate of magnesia, or Epsom salts, from seawater
. As early as 1826 Johnson sent articles to Loudon's Gardener's Magazine.
His first independent work was A History of English Gardening, Chronological, Biographical, Literary, and Critical in 1829. It contains a vast amount of information, and exhibits great patience and research. At Great Totham, where he resided, he conducted experiments in gardening, and especially in the manufacture of manures. His History of the Parish of Great Totham, Essex, was printed at the private press of Charles Clarke, in 1831. In 1835 he published Memoirs of John Selden, which was dedicated to Lord Stanley. The two brothers in 1839 edited an edition of Paley's works, in which the Evidences of Christianity were undertaken by the younger brother.
on 6 January 1832, and were called to the bar on 8 June 1836. Johnson's professional opinion given to the churchwardens of Braintree, Essex, that the minority could make a rate to repair the church if the church were really in a dangerous condition, was, in January 1846, sustained by the court of exchequer, but was ultimately reversed in 1853 on an appeal to the House of Lords.
was governor-general (1837–41). On his return to England in 1842, he wrote The Stranger in India, or Three Years in Calcutta in 1843.
, and, again turning his attention to gardening pursuits, edited annually the Gardeners' Almanack for the Stationers' Company from 1844 to 1866.
In 1845 was published The Principles of Practical Gardening, which was subsequently much enlarged and reissued in 1862 as The Science and Practice of Gardening. A Dictionary of Gardening appeared in 1846, and met with a good reception, and The Cottage Gardener's Dictionary was published in 1852; a supplement to the latter is dated 1868. In 1847 Johnson commenced a series of works called The Gardener's Monthly Volume, the first portion of which, on the potato
, was written by himself. Twelve volumes of this series appeared.
On the death of his father-in-law, Newington Hughes, banker, Maidstone, Johnson succeeded to his property, when the Fairfax manuscripts came into his possession. These valuable documents, which had been rescued from a shoemaker at Maidstone, were in 1848–9 published as the Fairfax Correspondence in four large volumes, the first two of which were edited by Johnson, the last two by Robert Bell (1800–1867). On 5 October 1848 appeared the first number of Johnson's Cottage Gardener, which was at once successful. When in 1851 Dr. Robert Hogg became joint editor, the title was changed to the Journal of Horticulture.
, on 29 October 1886, and was buried in the grounds of St. Peter's Church on 4 November.
Early life
Johnson, born at Blackheath, Kent, was younger son of William Johnson, proprietor successively of the Vauxhall distillery, of the CoalbrookdaleCoalbrookdale
Coalbrookdale is a village in the Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire, England, containing a settlement of great significance in the history of iron ore smelting. This is where iron ore was first smelted by Abraham Darby using easily mined "coking coal". The coal was drawn from drift mines in the sides...
china-works, and of salt-works at Heybridge in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
.
At Heybridge Johnson and his elder brother, Cuthbert William Johnson, first found employment, and carried out experiments in the application of salt as manure
Manure
Manure is organic matter used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Manures contribute to the fertility of the soil by adding organic matter and nutrients, such as nitrogen, that are trapped by bacteria in the soil...
, which they recounted in An Essay on the Uses of Salt for Agriculture. One of their discoveries was an economical method of separating sulphate of magnesia, or Epsom salts, from seawater
Seawater
Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% . This means that every kilogram of seawater has approximately of dissolved salts . The average density of seawater at the ocean surface is 1.025 g/ml...
. As early as 1826 Johnson sent articles to Loudon's Gardener's Magazine.
His first independent work was A History of English Gardening, Chronological, Biographical, Literary, and Critical in 1829. It contains a vast amount of information, and exhibits great patience and research. At Great Totham, where he resided, he conducted experiments in gardening, and especially in the manufacture of manures. His History of the Parish of Great Totham, Essex, was printed at the private press of Charles Clarke, in 1831. In 1835 he published Memoirs of John Selden, which was dedicated to Lord Stanley. The two brothers in 1839 edited an edition of Paley's works, in which the Evidences of Christianity were undertaken by the younger brother.
Call to the bar
Both had become students of Gray's InnGray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
on 6 January 1832, and were called to the bar on 8 June 1836. Johnson's professional opinion given to the churchwardens of Braintree, Essex, that the minority could make a rate to repair the church if the church were really in a dangerous condition, was, in January 1846, sustained by the court of exchequer, but was ultimately reversed in 1853 on an appeal to the House of Lords.
Move to India
In 1839 he was appointed professor of moral and political economy in the Hindoo college at Calcutta; became one of the editors of the Englishman newspaper there, and edited the government Gazette while Lord AucklandGeorge Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland
George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland, GCB, PC was a British Whig politician and colonial administrator. He was thrice First Lord of the Admiralty and also served as Governor-General of India between 1836 and 1842....
was governor-general (1837–41). On his return to England in 1842, he wrote The Stranger in India, or Three Years in Calcutta in 1843.
Return to England
He now settled at WinchesterWinchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
, and, again turning his attention to gardening pursuits, edited annually the Gardeners' Almanack for the Stationers' Company from 1844 to 1866.
In 1845 was published The Principles of Practical Gardening, which was subsequently much enlarged and reissued in 1862 as The Science and Practice of Gardening. A Dictionary of Gardening appeared in 1846, and met with a good reception, and The Cottage Gardener's Dictionary was published in 1852; a supplement to the latter is dated 1868. In 1847 Johnson commenced a series of works called The Gardener's Monthly Volume, the first portion of which, on the potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
, was written by himself. Twelve volumes of this series appeared.
On the death of his father-in-law, Newington Hughes, banker, Maidstone, Johnson succeeded to his property, when the Fairfax manuscripts came into his possession. These valuable documents, which had been rescued from a shoemaker at Maidstone, were in 1848–9 published as the Fairfax Correspondence in four large volumes, the first two of which were edited by Johnson, the last two by Robert Bell (1800–1867). On 5 October 1848 appeared the first number of Johnson's Cottage Gardener, which was at once successful. When in 1851 Dr. Robert Hogg became joint editor, the title was changed to the Journal of Horticulture.
Death
Johnson died at his residence, Waldronhurst, CroydonCroydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, on 29 October 1886, and was buried in the grounds of St. Peter's Church on 4 November.