Person    | Male  Born 28/9/1839  Died 24/11/1900

John Lawson Johnston

Categories: Food & Drink, Industry

Countries: Canada, France, Scotland

Nutrition promoter and food manufacturer. Born at 29 Main Street, Roslin, Midlothian. He took over his uncle's butcher shop and decided to use the large quantity of beef trimmings produced to make his own 'glace de viande' (meat glaze). This sold so well that he opened a second shop and a factory in the Holyrood area. He emigrated to Canada, and in1874 the French army gave him a contract to supply their army with preserved beef products. During this time he developed 'Johnston's Fluid Beef', which was to become 'Bovril'. He returned to Britain in 1880 where he developed the brand. Died on his yacht 'White Ladye' in Cannes harbour.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
John Lawson Johnston

Commemorated ati

John Lawson Johnston

John Lawson Johnston, 1839 - 190, inventor of Bovril, owned and lived here at...

Read More

Other Subjects

Marylebone conduit

Marylebone conduit

At London Sideways we learn that in 1237 the City of London, short of water, were granted a piece of land beside the Tyburn River so that they could lay conduits to carry water to the City. This l...

Building, Food & Drink

1 memorial
Spratt's

Spratt's

Canine food specialists and operators of the "largest dog biscuit factory in the world" in Fawe Street, Poplar. Started by an American entrepreneur James Spratt, who introduced the biscuit to Lond...

Group, Commerce, Animals, Food & Drink, USA

1 memorial
Grodzinski's bakery

Grodzinski's bakery

In 1890 (previously thought to have been 1888) Harris and Judith Grodzinski arrived in the East End from what is now Belarus.  Starting in a street stall they then set up a bakery at 31 Fieldgate S...

Group, Commerce, Food & Drink

1 memorial
2i's coffee bar

2i's coffee bar

Birthplace of British rock 'n roll and the popular music industry. Mickie Most started as a singing waiter here. Owen Adams provides a huge amount of information.

Place, Community / Clubs, Food & Drink, Music / songs

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Kelso Cochrane

Kelso Cochrane

Came to London in 1958, lived in Notting Hill and worked as a carpenter.  Murdered by a group of white youths.  The race riots the previous year, the increase in racist activities by Fascist groups...

Person, Race Issues, Tragedy, Antigua

1 memorial
Saint Joan

Saint Joan

Play by George Bernard Shaw.  Joan's canonisation in 1920 may have suggested the topic to Shaw.  The premiere was in New York in December.  The London premiere was in March 1924 with Sybil Thorndik...

Fiction, Theatre

1 memorial
World War 1

World War 1

We'd always assumed that this war was known as the Great War until WW2 came along at which point it was renamed as World War One or the First World War. But the term was first used in print in 1920...

Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

403 memorials
Rockhills

Rockhills

Home of Sir Joseph Paxton, 1852-65 (from when the Crystal Palace was rebuilt in Penge Park through to his death) and Sir Henry Buckland 1922-56. The dates are off the plaque and you'll note the ove...

Building, Property

1 memorial