Celebrating Samuel Johnson
The Johnson Birthplace in Lichfield
The Johnson Birthplace building in Breadmarket Street Lichfield had a chequered history in the late nineteenth century. In 1887, it was sold at auction by a local draper, Thomas Clarke. The Mayor of Lichfield at the time, A.C. Lomax, had suggested in a letter to the "Times" that an attempt be made to raise funds to preserve and acquire the building. Contrary to expectations, this suggestion was met with much dissent, the "Daily Telegraph" summing it up in these words "it would be imprudent and almost ridiculous to multiply shrines to infinity, and to squander vast sums on the acquisition of the natal places of distinguished men - places for the surrender of which the proprietor would probably be prone to ask fancy prices". The building sold for £800 to a private buyer, on whose death in 1900, the house was offered to the Council for £250. In 1895, the Council had already resolved to try to acquire the house as a Johnsonian Museum.
The money for the purchase was put forward by Alderman Gilbert, who received the Honorary Freedom of the City in return. Early loans to the Museum included the substantial holdings of A.C. Lomax, the Lichfield printer (and the Mayor back in 1887). Gilbert died in 1902, so did not live to see the beginning of the Johnson Society.
Events associated with Johnson started before the Society began. The traditional dinner and events that form a significant part of the annual Birthday celebrations around 19 September are shown here in supper menus from 1903 and 1910, which include an image of the birthplace building. The "Three Crowns" on Breadmarket Street was initially the regular venue for these events (though the "George Hotel" on Bird Street stepped in on a number of occasions and later the Guildhall). It was only a few doors from the Birthplace Museum, but closed in 1964 when the frontage was altered. It now forms part of the building housing Ansons, solicitors and the Nationwide Building Society.
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service, 2011
Lichfield Record Office, D508/7/5
The Johnson Society of Lichfield, founded 1910
The Johnson Society of Lichfield was formally begun in August 1910. These opening minutes record the offers of the initial presidency and other posts. Unfortunately, the volume also records a period between 1913 and 1935 when no minutes were kept - it reopens with a resolution that in future the minutes be properly kept, going on to record a range of events and activities over the years. The appointment of a president, changing annually as now, seems to have been a regular source of anxiety. In 1912-1913, after Rudyard Kipling and Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins (better known as Anthony Hope, author of "the Prisoner of Zenda") had declared themselves unavailable, the choice eventually fell on the U.S. Consul-General J.L. Griffiths. Hope did eventually agree to take on the role, in 1931.
© Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Archive Service, 2011
Lichfield Record Office, D508/1/1, pp.1-2
In the past forty years, the roll call of presidents has included such familiar names as Frank Muir, Malcolm Muggeridge, Richard Ingrams, Enoch Powell and John Sergeant. The president for 2009/10 was the Bishop of Lichfield and this year, Frank Skinner.
Costs were a regular issue. In 1933, the expense of producing the Annual Report was highlighted. Initially, life membership had been set at £1, from which many members were still benefiting - for new members at this date, the annual subscription was 5 shillings, while life membership was 42 shillings. By 1945, these had become 7s 6d and 63s respectively.
The Society had always had a policy of organizing visits to places associated with Dr Johnson. In 1912, this programme shows a photograph of "the Mansion, Ashbourne", where Johnson had frequently met with Dr John Taylor, his former schoolfellow. Dr Sadler, the owner, was one of the founding members of the Society. In the 1960s, the Society joined in the appeal for funds to restore this building.
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