W. R. Johnston

W. R. Johnston (1897 - 1974)

W.R. (Bill) Johnston was born in 1915 and was best known as a jeweller working in Toronto in the mid twentieth century. Johnston began work at his kitchen table repairing jewellery and taking small commissions including diamond setting and other fine work. In the late 1930's after the birth of his fourth child, W.R. (Ross) Johnston, Johnston formed W.R. Johnston Jewellers a jewellery manufacturing firm located on Toronto's College Street across from Maple Leaf Gardens. Specializing in hand-engraved gold and silver jewelery W.R. Johnston Jewellers was a frequent supplier to People's Jewellers, a Canadian retail jewelery giant. The company also imported fine hand carved Italian cameos and jade for use in pendants, rings and curios. His distinctive WRJ monogram was well known and the hand-engraving made it a desirable keepsake. Johnston was a prominent member of the jewellery manufacturing community in Toronto and was a President of the 24 Karat Club.

In the last 1960s, when it became obvious that his son was not going to follow in the family business, Johnston sold the business and retired. W.R. (Ross) Johnston, a likeminded entrepreneur went on to form his own firm, W.R. Johnston & Assoc., a high-end print brokerage firm, in the mid-70s which he continued to run until his retirement in the late 1990s.

Personal

W.R.(Bill) Johnston married May Lowther in 1914 and had their first child Annie (Anne) Johnston in 1915. Several years later a son, George, was born but died as an infant. In 1924 Ethelyn (Lyn) Johnston, a second daughter was born. Both Anne and Lyn worked in the business in administrative support capacities for many years, although Anne had the much longer tenure. In 1933, a son, W.R. (Ross) Johnston Jr. was born. May Lowther died suddenly on January 1st, 1963. His children, while suffering from maladies ranging from tuberculosis to osteomyelitis in their youth, went on to live long lives with Ross Jr. passing away in 2004 at the age of 70, and Anne Johnston Haynes Miles passing away in early 2007 at the age of 90. Lyn Johnston Hardwick is the only surviving child of Bill Johnston. Bill Johnston is the only one of his siblings who had children so there are no cousins. The Johnston name is currently being carried on by John William Johnston, Ross's son, and his daughters Fiona Jeanne McEwen Johnston and Samantha Elizabeth Johnston.