George Raymond Johnson was an English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 architect

Architect

An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...

 who produced several notable buildings in the Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n colonies. Johnson is principally remembered for the seven town halls of his design that still stand today in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

 and other Victoria

Victoria (Australia)

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....

n towns, but he achieved contemporary renown for his theatres and, particularly, his annexes to the Melbourne Exhibition Building

Royal Exhibition Building

The Royal Exhibition Building is a World Heritage Site-listed building in Melbourne, Australia, completed in 1880. It is located at 9 Nicholson Street in the Carlton Gardens, flanked by Victoria, Nicholson, Carlton and Rathdowne Streets, at the north-eastern edge of the central business district...

.

Johnson was born in Southgate

Southgate, London

Southgate is an area of north London, England, primarily within the London Borough of Enfield, although parts of its western fringes lie within the London Borough of Barnet. It is located around north of Charing Cross. The name is derived from being the south gate to Enfield Chase...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 (then a part of Middlesex

Middlesex

Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...

) and at age 13 began working with George Hall, Midland Railway

Midland Railway

The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....

 architect. At 19 he moved to London, presumably to continue his architectural career. On 24 July 1962 he married Emma Louise Wood and, nine days later, the couple embarked on a journey of emigration to Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

. In 1867, Johnson moved to Melbourne, where he produced most of his major works. In 1898, while at sea on return to Melbourne from Perth, Western Australia

Perth, Western Australia

Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....

, Johnson contracted septicemia, and died.

Architectural Works

Johnson's major works are mostly Classical

Neoclassicism

Neoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...

 in style, variously described as Renaissance Revival, Free Classical, Italianate, Second Empire or Mannerist. Some of his residential buildings were in the Gothic Revival style.

A selection of Johnson's notable buildings are listed below. For a complete list of known works, see the database compiled by Johnson's descendent, architect Peter Johnson, included in Hannan (2006).

Building	Location	Year	Type	Note
Prince of Wales Opera House	Bourke Street, Melbourne Bourke Street, Melbourne Bourke Street is one of Melbourne's best known streets. Historically been regarded as Melbourne's "second street", with the main street being Collins Street and "busier than Bourke Street" is a popular catchphrase. Bourke Street has traditionally been Melbourne's entertainment hub... , Victoria,	1872	theatre	demolished 1900
Eastern Arcade	Bourke Street, Melbourne Bourke Street, Melbourne Bourke Street is one of Melbourne's best known streets. Historically been regarded as Melbourne's "second street", with the main street being Collins Street and "busier than Bourke Street" is a popular catchphrase. Bourke Street has traditionally been Melbourne's entertainment hub... , Victoria	1872	commercial	modified 1894, demolished 2008
North Melbourne Town Hall North Melbourne Town Hall North Melbourne Town Hall is the former town hall of the Town of Hotham in the state of Victoria. It is listed in the register of the National Trust...	North Melbourne, Victoria North Melbourne, Victoria North Melbourne is a large inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. It is bounded by the CityLink freeway to the west, Victoria Street to the south, O'Connell and Peel Streets to the east and Flemington Road to the north. Its...	1876	town hall
Theatre Royal	Hindley Street, Adelaide Hindley Street, Adelaide Hindley Street is located in the West End of the centre of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. It runs between King William Street and West Terrace. The street was named after British parliamentarian and social reformist, Charles Hindley.... , South Australia	1878	theatre	demolished 1962
Metropolitan Meat Market	North Melbourne, Victoria North Melbourne, Victoria North Melbourne is a large inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. It is bounded by the CityLink freeway to the west, Victoria Street to the south, O'Connell and Peel Streets to the east and Flemington Road to the north. Its...	1879	commercial
Austin Hospital for Incurables Austin Hospital, Melbourne The Austin Hospital is a major teaching public hospital located in Melbourne's north eastern suburb of Heidelberg, and is administrated by Austin Health, along with the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital and the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre.-History:...	Heidelberg, Victoria Heidelberg, Victoria Heidelberg is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 11 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Banyule....	1882	other	demolished c1970
Daylesford Town Hall	Daylesford, Victoria Daylesford, Victoria Daylesford is a town located in the Shire of Hepburn, Victoria, Australia. It is a former goldmining town about 115 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, in the foothills of the Great Dividing Range. At the 2006 census, Daylesford had a population of 3,073...	1882	town hall
Collingwood Town Hall Collingwood Town Hall Collingwood Town Hall is a civic building located on Hoddle Street in Abbotsford, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.The hall was built between 1885 and 1890 to the design of local architects George R. Johnson in the Second Empire style, rich in detail and prominent mansard roofs and pyramid domes...	Collingwood, Victoria Collingwood, Victoria Collingwood is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra...	1885	town hall
Criterion Theatre Criterion Theatre (Sydney) The Criterion Theatre in Sydney, Australia was built in 1886 by architect George R Johnson on the south east corner of Pitt and Park streets. The Criterion Theatre, or 'Cri', was Sydney's most famous intimate playhouse at the time. With a Neo-Renaissance exterior and a capacity of approximately 991...	Cnr Pitt Pitt Street, Sydney Pitt Street is a major street in central Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The street runs through the entire city centre from Circular Quay in the north to Waterloo, although today's street is in two disjointed sections after a substantial stretch of it was removed to make way for Sydney's...  and Park Street Park Street, Sydney Park Street in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia is a major cross street in the centre of the Central Business District. It runs from George Street in the west to College Street in the east, where it becomes William Street.-Description:... , Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...	1886	theatre	demolished 1935
Annexes to Exhibition Building Royal Exhibition Building The Royal Exhibition Building is a World Heritage Site-listed building in Melbourne, Australia, completed in 1880. It is located at 9 Nicholson Street in the Carlton Gardens, flanked by Victoria, Nicholson, Carlton and Rathdowne Streets, at the north-eastern edge of the central business district...	Carlton, Victoria Carlton, Victoria Carlton is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...	1887	other	demolished 1889
Northcote Town Hall Northcote Town Hall Northcote Town Hall is a civic building located in High Street in Northcote, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.-Town hall:It was designed in the Classic Revival style by George Johnson and built in 1887 as the municipal offices and council chambers for the City of Northcote.-Arts and Community...	Northcote, Victoria Northcote, Victoria Northcote is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 7 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Darebin...	1887	town hall
Fitzroy Town Hall Fitzroy Town Hall Fitzroy Town Hall is a civic building located in Napier Street in Fitzroy, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.It was constructed in two separate stages. The first consisted of a hall and tower which was designed by William J. Ellis and built in 1863...  additions	Fitzroy, Victoria Fitzroy, Victoria Fitzroy is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Yarra. Its borders are Alexandra Parade , Victoria Parade , Smith Street and Nicholson Street. Fitzroy is Melbourne's...	1887	town hall
Maryborough Town Hall	Maryborough, Victoria Maryborough, Victoria -Education:Maryborough has three schools:*Highview Christian Community College*Maryborough Education Centre Years Prep–12*St Augustine's Primary School Grades Prep–6-Music:...	1887	town hall
Bijou Theatre	Bourke Street, Melbourne Bourke Street, Melbourne Bourke Street is one of Melbourne's best known streets. Historically been regarded as Melbourne's "second street", with the main street being Collins Street and "busier than Bourke Street" is a popular catchphrase. Bourke Street has traditionally been Melbourne's entertainment hub... , Victoria	1889	theatre	demolished 1934
Kilmore Town Hall	Kilmore, Victoria Kilmore, Victoria Kilmore is a town in the Australian state of Victoria. Located north of Melbourne, it is contentiously claimed as Victoria's oldest inland settled town...	1894	town hall