Johnson, Isaac Charles

SUBJECT AREA: Architecture and building, Civil engineering

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b. 28 January 1811 Vauxhall, London, England

d. 29 November 1911 Gravesend (?), Kent, England

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English contributor to the development of efficient hydraulic cements.

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As a young man Johnson studied both chemistry and physics and gained some experience in the manufacture of cement before joining the firm of John Bazely White as Works Manager at Swanscombe in Kent in 1838. He spent some years investigating the production processes and left the firm to set up on his own in 1851 on the Limehouse Reach of the River Medway, moving later to Gateshead on the River Tyne. Johnson produced a cement that was a great improvement on that of Parker and of Frost : like William Aspdin (see Aspdin, Joseph), he made a true Portland cement by mixing chalk, clay and water, and then clinkering the mixture. He used local clay at Gateshead and had the chalk shipped from the Thames area. In 1872 Johnson patented an improved bottle kiln, called the Johnson Chamber Kiln; it was of horizontal design, which speeded up manufacturing processes.

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Further Reading

A.J.Francis, The Cement Industry 1796–1914: A History, David \& Charles.

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