Background
Johnson was the son of Edward Johnson, of Hackney.
Johnson was the son of Edward Johnson, of Hackney.
He was educated privately and admitted as a solicitor in 1899, becoming a partner in the firm of Downer and Johnson, based in 426 Salisbury House, London Wall.
He stood for Parliament, twice in 1910, in the Walthamstow division of Essex. At the January 1910 general election he lost to the Liberal Member of Parliament Sir John Simon. When Simon faced a by-election in November 1910 after being appointed as Solicitor General, Johnson again failed to unseat him.
Johnson did not contest the general election in December 1910, but in 1914 he became Mayor of Hackney, a position he held until 1919.
He was re-elected in 1922 and in 1923, and stood down from Parliament at the 1924 general election. He was Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel of the London Regiment, and was knighted in 1920.
31st United Kingdom Parliament. 32nd United Kingdom Parliament. 33rd United Kingdom Parliament]
Johnson was a member of Hackney Council.
He finally entered the House of Commons at the 1918 general election when he was elected as the first Member of Parliament (Member of Parliament) for the newly created Walthamstow East (a division of the Municipal Borough of Walthamstow.