Edward Daniel Johnson

Edward Daniel Johnson (30 September 1815 – 8 March 1889) was a respected London watch and marine chronometer maker. He was a founder member and vice President of the British Horological Institute, which was formed in June 1858.

Movement of a pocket watch by E D Johnson. Inscription: No. 11586 E. D. Johnson 9 Wilmington Square London.
Pocket watch by E D Johnson.

During his early career he worked out of Ashley Crescent in Shoreditch. Watches from this period (c. 1849–1855) show the address as "21 Ashley Crescent, City Road, London" inscribed on the movement.

In 1855[1] he moved to 9 Wilmington Square, Clerkenwell where he produced the majority of his work. It was during this period that Johnson was involved with the founding of the British Horological Institute. Johnson was granted the Freedom of the City of London on 17 January 1860 by Redemption in the Company of Clockmakers.[2]

He was elected a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society on 10 May 1861.[3]

In June 1873 the British Horological Institute ran an essay competition, sponsored by Baroness Burdett-Coutts. Johnson was involved with this, the title of which was "The Compensation Balance and its Adjustment in Chronometers and Watches".[4][5]

From 1875 the company was listed as "Edward Daniel Johnson & Son". Two of his sons worked in the watch manufacturing industry—Edward Henry and William George. The 'son' is believed to refer to Edward given that he lived at 10 Wilmington Square, which was inscribed on E. D. Johnson watch movements at this time.

Johnson retired in 1879 by which time he was almost totally blind.

References
  1. 1861 England census for 9 Wilmington Square
  2. London: Freedom of the City Admission Papers London Metropolitan Archive; Reference Number: COL/CHD/FR/02/1946-1950, (1860), "http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=2052&iid=32512_a064723-00015&fn=Edward+Damel&ln=Johnson&st=r&ssrc=pt_t5578017_p-1431209366_kpidz0q3d-1431209366z0q26pgz0q3d32768z0q26pgPLz0q3dpid_m1&pid=724573"
  3. List of the Fellows of the Royal Astronomical Society (June 1885) Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Vol. 45, p. 1. (1885), "http://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu//full/1885MNRAS..45A...1./A000011.000.html"
  4. Middleton, Alan. E D Johnson, BHI Founding Member (1). British Horological Journal, Nov 2007, Vol. 149, issue 11, p. 444-447
  5. Middleton, Alan. E D Johnson, BHI Founding Member (2). British Horological Journal, Dec 2007, Vol. 149, issue 12, p. 486-489
  • British & Irish Clock and Watch Makers
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