Validity: 2019-02-28
Validity: 2019-02-28
Validity: 2019-02-28
Validity: 2019-02-28
Validity: 2019-02-28
Validity: 2019-02-28
Validity: 2019-02-28
Validity: 2019-02-28
Validity: 2019-02-28
Validity: 2018-10-31
Validity: 2019-02-28
Validity: 2019-02-28
Validity: 2019-02-28
Validity: 2019-02-28
Validity: 2019-02-28
H.S.Johnson was established in 1946 after the end of the Second World War. Herbert Samuel Johnson was a watchmaker before the war and his skills were put to use repairing aircraft instruments as an RAF Sergeant in those bleak times of war. Whilst stationed at Fradley he met and married his sweetheart Violet, whose father was the Editor of the Lichfield Mercury, and after wartime had ended they decided to stay local and opened their business in Rugeley ( Pic 1 ) where it still resides today. In the early days when rationing was still in effect the shop consisted of trading from wartime utility tables, a far cry from todays shop. In 1951 Michael Samuel Johnson was born on the premises and would grow up to follow his father into the watchmaking trade. At 14 he started tinkering with clocks and at 16 was working in the shop full time with day releases to college to gain the relevant qualifications. By 21 he had passed his 3 year course at the School of Jewelry and Silversmiths in Birmingham, after which he worked full time in the shop as a watchmaker. Today he still runs the shop and carries out the repairs. He can be seen playing behind his dad`s car in the picture from 1957 ( Pic 2 ).