PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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Messrs JOHNSON AND BAXTER (PLYMOUTH) Ltd
The Plymouth business house of Messrs Johnson and Baxter (Plymouth) Ltd, heating and domestic engineers, was based at number 67 Ebrington Street, Plymouth, during the 1950s and had their works at Mount Street in Devonport. During the summer of 1945 Mr Albert Leonard Johnson purchased the small plumbing section of Messrs David Sale Ltd, who were then a subsidiary of the Bristol firm of builders' merchants, Messrs Rowe Brothers. He brought in Mr Wilfred M Baxter, a chartered accountant, and they changed the name of the business to Messrs Johnson and Baxter even though Mr Baxter was only involved in the business for a few years. [1] They opened an office in Princess Square and acquired a former Chapel in Mount Street, Devonport, as their workshop, where they employed a blacksmith, a tinsmith, two plumbers and an apprentice. If there was no heating installation work to do they filled their time manufacturing hand-made copper coal scuttles and hods. [1] By 1953 they had moved their office to number 67 Ebrington Street. [2] Later Mr Bryan Johnson and Mr Geoffrey Johnson, sons of the founder, joined the business and Mr Bryan Johnson became managing director in 1968. [1][3] The business continued to expand and eventually had offices in Bristol, Cardiff and Southampton. As the Company grew the Plymouth office was moved to larger premises at Ford Park, Mutley. In 1960 they took over Eagle House in Sutton Road for their headquarters. [4] Mr Albert Leonard Johnson died at his home in Wilderness Road, Plymouth, on Thursday May 19th 1983. He was 82 years of age. Mr Johnson expanded his business throughout the South West counties and also built a residential area at Thurlestone, in south Devon. He was a past captain of both Wrangaton and Thurlestone Golf Clubs. [3] in 1983 and Mr Bryan Johnson became chairman of the Company. [1] On Tuesday November 4th 1997 Messrs Johnson & Baxter ceased trading, putting thirty jobs at risk, and a move was made to appoint liquidators. Mr Andy Beckingham of Messrs Coopers and Lybrand, the liquidators, stated that the Company had assets worth £3 million and debts amounting to £6 million had run out of working capital, having failed to collect money owed to them. Mr Peter Fortune was the managing director while a Mr Keith Johnson was one of the directors. [5]
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