Johnsons advertised some of their 'chemical preparations' as being for 'Home Photography' when they were still trading under the name Johnson & Sons, as can be seen in an advert within the 'British Journal Photographic Almanac' for 1937. The description seemingly refers to smaller quantities of chemicals suited to the home worker. Johnson & Sons were renamed as Johnsons of Hendon in 1948.

The old-established business of Houghton-Butcher, at Ensign House 88/89 High Holborn, London, was destroyed by enemy action during the nights of 24th / 25th September 1940. On October 7th, Ensign Ltd, the sales wing of Houghton-Butcher, was wound up and sale of the remaining stock of enlargers, epidiascopes and cine cameras was taken over by Johnson & Sons.

Below are shown 'Home Photography' processing kits sold by Johnsons after WW2, but the kit alongside, sold by Ensign Ltd prior to theier premises being destroyed, was clearly the predecessor of the Johnsons kits and used Johnson brand chemicals. The safelight (upper row, right hand side, in the lower part of the box) was a simple crude light trapped metal box with coloured glass on one side and intended to accomodate a small piece of candle.

The price change reflects inflation during the intervening years; 8s/6d (42.5p) compared to £1.12s.6d (£1 & 62.5p) in 1951 for the equivalent Johnsons No.1 Outfit (see below).

From the latter 1940s through to around 1970, Johnsons of Hendon produced a series of booklets entitled 'Home Photography' and also 'kits' of equipment and chemicals suited to enabling a beginner to start developing and printing his own black & white films at home.

Illustrated left, and below left, is shown a No.1 kit from 1951, complete except for the thermometer, which is missing from alongside the black print forceps and film hanging 'pegs'. But earlier kits were available prior to the one shown.

The picture on the inside of the No.1 box lid (see below, right) enticingly illustrates the much greater, and more sophisticated, range of equipment within a No.4 outfit.

In 1951 the No.1 kit was priced around £1.12s.6d (£1.63p) while the No.4 outfit cost £6.10s (£6.50p). There was also a No.5 outfit which consisted of a 120watt electric print dryer and a chromium glazing plate for producing glossy prints. Price was £4.2s.6d (£4.13p).

The leaflet alongside describes and illustrates the various Johnson Home Photography Outfits, as they were in the early 1950s.

Click on the image or here, to download this leaflet as a pdf.

Below are the covers of the series of booklets which accompanied the above kits, though they were also priced for sale as separate items.
From the early 1950s they were authored by Kevin MacDonnell and A.R.Pippard.

I acquired the 4th Edition with a No.1 developing and printing kit which I purchased around 1960. That kit started a lifelong interest. I lost my original 4th Edition many years ago, but found another in a bookshop at Hay on Wye around the year 2000. Since then I have managed to collect together what I believe is a complete set of this very well written and illustrated guide to the essentials of photography, from taking the picture through processing the film to producing contact prints and enlargements. To download a complete pdf of the 4th Edition, click here.

The 7th Edition can be downloaded here.

I've also acquired two other booklets, both by Kevin MacDonnell, one being '35mm Cameraman' and the other 'Choosing & Using SLR Lenses', the latter published by Johnsons during the period they were called Eumig (UK) Ltd, i.e. between 1st February 1977 and 1981. I've also included a (probably free) booklet from the Schoolboy's Own Exhibition, January 1950. A little leaflet that 'recaps' (as they say in "Twenty Questions") what you've heard at the Exhibition.

Johnsons employed two printing firms over a period of 20 years to produce editions of their 'Home Photography' booklet. Initially they used Sawtells of Sherborne but later they (mostly) used Alf Harrison & Sons of Leeds. Information on these printers has come from the granddaughter of Alf Harrison and the granddaughter of Alfred Hugh Sawtell.

In Amateur Photographer magazine for December 21st 1949, Johnsons have a whole page advert. mostly encouraging purchase of the 1950 Johnson 'Wellcome' Photographic Year Book but with a small section devoted to: "Bring The Boys". "When Christmas is over come and visit us at the SCHOOLBOYS' OWN EXHIBITION at the Horticultural Hall, Westminster, London, S.W.1. The exhibition is open during the holidays from 31st December to 14th January 1950. On our big stand there will be practical demonstrations of developing films, making prints and making enlargements. The boys will be able to see how easy it is to do it all themselves. Questions will be answered and they will be given practical advice." "Make this the High Spot of the Holidays."

'Photography' magazine for December 1951 reveals there was a similar stand the previous year and also during December 31st to January 12th 1952 "run by Messrs Kodak and Johnsons of Hendon; Kodak dealing with the taking side and Johnsons with the developing, printing and enlarging." By now the invitation is less sexist, extolling that "parents of boy and girl photographers ought not to miss the opportunity of taking them to see the Photography Stand at the Schoolboy's Own Exhibition.."

The Boys Own Exhibition which opened on December 31st 1952 had a Johnsons stand where photographs were taken and the processes of film developing, negative contact printing and enlarging, were shown to groups of 12-14 boys and girls at a time.during a 25minute sequence of six exhibit sections. Amateur Photographer covered this event in a page within their 21st January 1953 edition. Download this as a pdf, here.