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professional photographer, was an American nephew of the English photographer Barnett Johnson . He worked as an engraver and daguerreotypist in Cleveland, Ohio in 1850-51, moving to California in 1853. He was in Melbourne by January 1855 when he advertised his firm, Johnson & Co., as 'artists from America of 15 years standing’ and claimed his daguerreotype portraits were 'faithful likenesses in the celebrated American style’. Charles, who was probably the sum total of the 'artist’ proprietors, was later said to have been 'apt at Businesses, free of demeanour’ and of such 'untrimmed appearance’ as to make any digger feel quite relaxed.

As C.E. Johnson & Co. he was at Geelong in 1855; his studio was listed at Market Square that year, in Malop Street in 1856. He also worked in goldfields’ towns. One 'Mr. Johnston’ (sic), the 'celebrated daguerrean artist from Geelong’, was doing good business at Ballarat in 1855. That this was a misprint – a very common one at the time – is clear from the fact that C.E. Johnson was advertising stereoscopic portraits and daguerreotype views of the Ballarat diggings as seen from the works in May. He may also have been the (mis)named partner in the firm of Johnstone & James (perhaps W.E. James ), which operated at Eaglehawk (Bendigo) in 1857.

In 1856-57 the daguerrean and photographic firm of 'Johnstone and Wyvil’ was at 86 Collins Street, East Melbourne – evidently C.E. Johnson and Edward James Wivell . They showed a collection of their photographs at the 1856 Victorian Exhibition of Art. About this time Johnson joined Batchelder & O’Neill , Melbourne’s leading photographers, where he worked as manager for about five years. Walter Woodbury recollected that the manager was 'Johnson’ when he was there in 1856, while Gus Peirce , who worked there in about 1860-61, retrospectively stated that the manager was 'Johnson, who later returned to his home in California to gain fame as a landscape painter’. The second half of the statement was possibly due to Peirce’s confusion of Johnson and H.J. Johnstone – a common error, then and since. The Victorian firm catalogued as 'Johnston & Co.’ awarded an Honourable Mention for its photographic views at the 1862 London International Exhibition could have been either, but was probably Charles Johnson’s older establishment. Charles again had his own studio in Little Collins Street East from 1861 to 1863, then amalgamated with his uncle in 1864: 'The business in Melbourne will be conducted by Mr CHARLES JOHNSON, who will always be found giving his personal attention to our Friends; Mr. BARNETT JOHNSON is going to England’.

Soon afterwards Charles closed down his Little Collins Street shop and moved into his uncle’s studio at 185 Cecil Street, Emerald Hill (now South Melbourne). He sold photographic equipment at all his premises but did not always work as a studio photographer. C.E. Johnson was listed as 'Seedsman and dealer in photographic materials’ in 1862 and he and his uncle were listed only as 'importers of photographic goods’ in 1864. C.E. Johnson & Co. took over Batchelder & O’Neill’s in 1865 (acquiring Daniel O’Neill in the process) and for a time operated studios in both Swanston Street and Emerald Hill.

Neither was listed in directories beyond 1866. Johnson had moved to New South Wales. On 5 February 1867 'Messrs Johnson and Co. – (late Batchelder & O’Neill) of Melbourne’ were announcing the opening of 'a branch Establishment at no. 24 York St.’ in the Sydney Morning Herald . Despite being advertised only as a depot for new photographic goods, it appears to have become the firm’s sole business, with Johnson himself as manager. Just seven weeks later, on 27 March, the Sydney gallery was for sale 'either with or without instruments, &c., in consequence of the proprietor being required to leave Sydney, first class light, and every convenience for doing one of the best businesses in town’. Johnson does not afterwards appear in the colonies. Evidently, he was stopping off at Sydney for a final disposal sale en route to San Francisco.

Writers:

Staff Writer

Date written:

1992

Last updated:

2011