George Raymond Johnson (7 February 1840 – 25 November 1898) was an architect who practiced in late 19th century Melbourne and Perth, Australia. He is known for designing numerous important buildings, especially town halls and theatres.
Biography Johnson was born in Southgate, England and at age 13 began working with George Hall, Midland Railway architect. At 19 he moved to London, presumably to continue his architectural career. On 24 July 1862 he married Emma Louise Wood and, two days later, the couple embarked on a journey of emigration to Queensland. In 1867, Johnson moved to Melbourne, where he produced most of his major works. Following the bank crash in 1895 he moved to Perth, Western Australia, establishing a practice there. In 1898, while at sea returning to Melbourne, Johnson contracted sepsis, and died. One son, Harry Johnson (1867-1931), also became an architect.Johnson, Peter. Johnson, George Raymond (1840–1898), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, accessed 16 August 2011.
Architectural works Johnson is known today for the design of a number of town halls across Victoria, notably the impressive Collingwood Town Hall, probably the most elaborate of the grand towered Second Empire style town halls that characterised the boom years of Melbourne in the 1880s. However he achieved most contemporary renown for his theatres in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide (perhaps as many as fifteen), now all demolished. Johnson's greatest contemporary acclaim came from his design for the extensive northern additions to Reed & Barnes's grand 1880 Exhibition Building for the Centennial Exhibition of 1888, removed soon after the Exhibition.
Johnson's major works, notably all the town halls and the theatres, were Renaissance Revival in style, and its variations including Free Classical, Italianate, Second Empire or Mannerist. Many were designed "with bold and rich character from Johnson's mannerist palette, an idiom in which he was a master." A few projects adopted different styles, such as the first building for the Hospital for Incurables, now the Austin Hospital, Heidelberg (1881, demolished), which was Venetian Gothic in character, in polychrome brick, while his bluestone cottages for the Old Colonists Home in North Fitzroy (1870) were Gothic.
A selection of Johnson's notable buildings are listed below. For a complete list of known works, see the database compiled by Johnson's descendant, architect Peter Johnson, included in Pride of Hotham (Hannan, 2006).
Building Location Year Type NoteOld Colonists Home North Fitzroy 1870cottagesextantHoldsworth (Daley) Building378-382 Lygon Street, Carlton1871shopsrear wings removed and front sections restored 1984 Prince of Wales Opera House Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 1872 theatre demolished 1900 Eastern Arcade Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria 1872 retail modified 1894, demolished 2008 North Melbourne Town Hall North Melbourne, Victoria 1876 town hall Now trading as Arts House Theatre Royal, Adelaide Hindley Street, Adelaide 1878 theatre demolished 1962 New German Club, Adelaide 87–91 Pirie Street, Adelaide 1878 Clubhouse & theatre substantially modified after 1899 Metropolitan Meat Market North Melbourne, Victoria 1880 commercial Now an Arts Hub, trading as Meat Market Austin Hospital for Incurables Heidelberg, Victoria 1882 other demolished c1970 Cathedral Hotel (1882/83), Swanston Street, north east corner of Flinders Lane, Melbourne1883hoteldemolished c1970 Daylesford Town Hall Daylesford, Victoria 1882 town hall Collingwood Town Hall Collingwood, Victoria 1885 town hall Criterion Theatre Cnr Pitt and Park streets, Sydney 1886 theatre demolished 1935 Centennial Exhibition Annexes to Exhibition BuildingCarlton, Victoria 1887 other demolished 1889 Northcote Town Hall Northcote, Victoria 1887 town hall Fitzroy Town Hall additions Fitzroy, Victoria 1887 municipal offices, library, courthouse & clock tower Maryborough Town Hall Maryborough, Victoria 1887 town hall Bijou Theatre Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria 1889 theatre demolished 1934 "Battle of Waterloo" Cyclorama 55 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy 1889entertainmentdemolished 1927Kilmore Town HallKilmore, Victoria 1894 town hall Theatre Royal (auditorium only)Hay Street, Perth1897theatreinterior now shops, exterior survivesCity Baths, Perth Esplanade, Perth 1898 sea baths demolished 1920
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