Philip Mainwaring Johnston

Early life

Philip Mainwaring Johnston, also known as PM Johnston, was born on 20th January 1865^[1]. His parents were John Brookes Johnston^[1] and Esther Laetitia Hamilton^[2]. His father was Secretary in London of Sun Insurance Co.^[1] / Royal Exchange Assurance Co.^[3] and founded the London Salvage Corps^[4].

Philip was the seventh of twelve children. His brother was Sir Henry Hamilton (Harry) Johnston, a British explorer, botanist, artist, colonial administrator, linguist^[1]. He also had a sister named Mabel Johnston^[2] and a brother called Alex Johnston, who wrote a book about Harry Johnston^[5].

Education

Philip attended King's College School, London^[1]. He studied drawing and painting under Professor Delamotte at King’s College, London^[6]^[7]. Professor Delamotte was a photographer/illustrator who became Professor of Drawing and Fine Art at King’s College.

Whilst studying at King's College, he undertook many sketching trips in England and on the Continent - an important part of every architect's education at that time.

Career

On completion of his articles with Belcher in 1886, he commenced practice on his own and became particularly well known for restoration work on old churches and small country houses in Surrey and Sussex. He also designed several new buildings, mainly in the Home Counties, including churches, houses, vicarages and model cottages and 24 WW1 war memorials^[8]^[9].

He was diocesan architect to Chichester Cathedral and architect to the Stratford-on-Avon Preservation Trust.

Restoration of churches

His activities included the restoration of Poling Priory, Sussex, as a residence for his brother, the late Sir Harry Johnston; the restoration of Prittle-well Priory, Essex, for the Corporation of Southend-on-Sea; and research work at St. Helen's Priory, Bishopsgate, for the Leathersellers Company^[10].

At Oxford in 1927 he gave expert advice to the Victoria and Albert Museum on an ancient wall painting then discovered in a house at Carfax; and in 1933 he was called in to inspect the ceiling of Jesus College Chapel, which thereafter was replaced by the present oak ceiling^[6].

In Surrey his professional work included the churches at Cater- ham, Chaldon, Charlwood, Compton, Coulsdon, Ewehurst, Stoke D'Abemon, Warlingham, and Witley. He was an advisory expert to the Surrey County Council^[6].

British Archaeological Association and Surrey Archaeological Society

He was vice-president of the British Archaeological Association and the Surrey Archaeological Society and was particularly well known as an expert in the preservation of ancient wall paintings. One of his most important projects was the restoration, on behalf of the V & A, of a mid sixteenth century room in a house on Carfax near Oxford, and he did similar work at Jesus College in Oxford.

Personal life

He lived in Camberwell on de Crespigny Park (from 1907) and at Sussex Lodge on Champion Hill (now No. 42 ) from 1914. The latter was one of two pairs of semi-detached houses that he designed and built in the arts and crafts style. All four houses remain and are perhaps the best example of the arts and crafts style in the local area^[11].