Charles John Johnston Kt MP (1845 - 1918)

Born 11 Oct 1845 in Wellington, New Zealand

Ancestors

Husband of Alice Margaret (Featherston) Johnston — married 12 Jan 1871 in New Zealand

Descendants

Died 13 Jun 1918 at age 72 in Wellington, New Zealand

Charles Johnston Kt MP lived in Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.

Biography

Merchant and ship owner, Johnston and Co, of Wellington, New Zealand.

Background

He was born on 11 October 1845 in Wellington, the son of merchant John Johnston and Henrietta Charlotte Hatton.

Education

He was educated at Wellington Commercial and Grammar School, and was later educated in England at the Catholic College of St Mary in Derbyshire, and at Kensington Grammar School in London.

Johnston and Co

He returned to New Zealand in 1864 and entered the family business Johnston & Co, ship owners and merchants.

He joined the volunteers and when the Wellington Brigade was formed was appointed to the rank of Captain. When he moved to the active-reserve he was appointed Captain-Commandant.

New Zealand Parliament

He represented the Te Aro electorate from 1881 to 1887, when he resigned. He was a member of the Legislative Council from 1891 until his death in 1918, and the Speaker from 1915 to 1918. On 22 January 1891 he was one of seven new members (including Harry Atkinson himself) appointed to the Council by the outgoing fourth Atkinson Ministry; a move regarded by Liberals as a stacking of the upper house against the new government.

Marriage and family

On 12 January 1871 he married Alice Margaret Featherston, the daughter of Isaac Earl Featherston, at Wellington. ^[1]

Two of his eight sons were killed in action in World War I, Brigadier-General Francis Earl Johnston and Captain Octavius Featherston Johnston. Another four of his sons also served in World War I: Guy, Charles, Harold and Ian Johnston. He also had three daughters: Zoë, Alice and Doris. Zoë was widowed on the death of her husband William Fitzgerald Levin from injuries suffered at Gallipoli.

Death

He died in Wellington on 13 June 1918 after a prolonged illness.

Legacy

He was Knighted posthumously. His elder brother Walter Woods Johnston was also an MP. His fourth son, Harold Featherston Johnston (1875–1959), became a judge of the Supreme Court and was appointed King's Counsel in 1930. Upon the death of Charles Skerrett in 1929, the position of Chief Justice was offered to Harold Johnston, who declined the offer, and Michael Myers became the next Chief Justice instead. Harold Johnston unsuccessfully stood for the Reform Party in the 1929 by-election in the Hutt electorate.

Sources

1. ↑ "Births, Deaths & Marriages Online", [digital index], New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz), Marriage Registration of Alice Margaret Featherston and Charles John Johnston ; citing Marriage Certificate 1871/4923 .

• Wikipedia, Charles John Johnston.[1]

• Wikidata: Item Q5079531

Wikipedia, Charles John Johnston