William Augustus Johnson

Lieutenant-General William Augustus Johnson (15 October 1777, in Kenilworth – 26 October 1863, in Witham, Lincolnshire) was an English soldier and Member of Parliament.

He was the eldest son of Church of England clergyman the Rev. Robert Augustus Johnson and Anna Rebecca (youngest sister of Lord Craven) and a descendant of Archdeacon Robert Johnson. He was educated at Rugby School.[1]

He married Lucy Foster (1815 – 1890) on 17 February 1835.

Commissioned as an ensign of foot in 1793, and promoted captain in 1794,[2] he served in the campaign of 1808–9 in the Peninsular War, as Major in the 32nd Regiment, and was present at the battles of Roliça, Vimiero, and Corunna. Johnson then served through the Walcheren expedition in 1809. In 1810 he became lieutenant-colonel in the 3rd Ceylon Regiment.[1]

Johnson inherited the Witham on the Hill estate in Lincolnshire from an uncle in 1814 and left active duty on half-pay to run the estate. He continued to receive promotions, to full colonel in 1819,[3] major-general in 1830 and lieutenant-general in 1841.[1] He retired from the army in 1842.

He stood many times for Parliament, and served as Member of Parliament for Boston, 1821–1826 and for Oldham, 1837–1847.[4]

He was a Magistrate, Deputy Lieutenant of Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, and High Sheriff of Lincolnshire for 1830.

When slavery was abolished in 1833, he received compensation for the loss of slaves in Antigua.[5]

He died, following a fall at his home, in 1863 aged 86.[1]

References
  1. History of Parliament Online article
  2. The London Gazette; Publication date: 6 May 1794 Issue: 13652 Page: 415
  3. The London Gazette Publication date: 12 August 1819 Issue: 17505 Page: 1443
  4. Craig, F. W. S. (1989) [1977]. British parliamentary election results 1832–1885 (2nd ed.). Chichester: Parliamentary Research Services. p. 231. ISBN 0-900178-26-4.
  5. "William Augustus Johnson". Legacies of British Slave-ownership. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Henry Ellis
Gilbert Heathcote		 Member of Parliament for Boston
1821–1826
With: Gilbert Heathcote		 Succeeded by
Neil Malcolm
Gilbert Heathcote
Preceded by
John Fielden
John Frederick Lees		 Member of Parliament for Oldham
1837 – 1847
With: John Fielden		 Succeeded by
William Johnson Fox
John Duncuft


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