Alexander Laurie Johnston

Alexander Laurie Johnston, (b. Dumfriesshire, South Scotland - d. 19 February, 1850, Bluehill, Kircudbright, Scotland). A former ship's owner/captain, Merchant, Businessman, Magistrate, Justice of Peace, arrived in Singapore in 1820. One of the earliest and much-liked settlers, he was the first Magistrate and Justice of Peace, appointed by Sir Stamford Raffles, who also made him one of the first Trustees of the Singapore Institution (later Raffles Institution). He established A. L. Johnston & Co. in July 1820, and being an active member of the mercantile community, Alexander Laurie Johnston was one of the founding members of the Singapore Chamber of Commerce in 1837. He was elected its first Chairman. He was one of Singapore's pioneer businessmen who spent more than 22 years of his life here, made his mark and left Singapore on 18 December, 1841 for England before his retirement in Scotland. He died on 19 February 1850 in Scotland. Johnston's Pier, now demolished, was named after him.

Early life
He was born in Dumfriesshire, a county in southern Scotland. Alexander came from a respectable Scottish family. He first came to India in the Merchant Navy of the British East India Company, and when he had risen to the rank of Chief Mate, he left the service. He then took command of a 'free trader vessel' of which he was owner or at least part-owner, and in which he made several voyages.

Alexander Johnston was among the very earliest settlers in the Island, and may have arrived before July 1820, which was the start-up date for his company,  the first European enterprise formed in Singapore. A sociable, kind and generous, high-spirited Scottish gentleman, Alexander Laurie Johnston was much liked by the Europeans as well as the local community.

A. L. Johnston & Co (1820-1892)
In July 1820 he established A. L. Johnston & Co., merchants and agency house with a godown cum office premises, rented from Captain William Flint, brother-in-law of Sir Stamford Raffles.  This was the first European business to be set up in Singapore.The trading company represented many 'international clients of repute', and were agents for ships in passengers and cargo-handling; and auctioneers of goods and products, especially new cargo arrivals.

Until Collyer Quay was reclaimed and developed from 1858, the seafront of the Singapore skyline showed the rear of the buildings facing Commercial Square (today's Raffles Place), and the out-houses and sheds also faced the seashore. Johnston's first premises stood where the May Bank building stands today. His building faced the beach, and being at the end of the block on Battery Road, had immediate access to the mouth of the Singapore River, a location advantage to the business for many years, the first house as you entered the river on the west bank. On an area originally called Tanjong Singapura, it was nicknamed Tanjong Tangkap (in Malay tanjong also spelt tanjung, means "cape or headland or promontory or high point of land jutting out into the sea"and, tangkap means "to catch"). Other merchants said that Johnston built it there so as to be the first to catch (tangkap) captains of vessels as they came up the river. The old premises were demolished in 1848, and the firm subsequently moved to the site today occupied by the Hongkong & Shanghai Bank building, at the corner of Battery Road and Collyer Quay.

Business partners
Johnston's first partner, Christopher Rideout Read, arrived in November 1822, and came from Bencoolen on the advice of Sir Stamford Raffles. Read's son William Henry Macleod Read (b. 1819 - d. 1909) arrived in Singapore in 1841, and took over his retiring father's place in the company from 1 January, 1842 until he retired in 1888. Alexander Johnston retired two months after the young Read's arrival. William H. M. Read still carried on the business with other partners up to the late 1880s. The company went out of business in 1892.

Friendship with Sir Stamford Raffles
Johnston enjoyed the friendship and confidence of the eminent founder of Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles, who in February 1823 placed his name at the head of the list of Magistrates who were appointed to administer the laws of the 'new settlement'. Letters and notes addressed by Raffles to Johnston, bear testimony to the frequency and benefit with which his advice and assistance was sought in all matters affecting the interests of the Settlement. He was highly respected by the business community and by other locals too, and in almost every public transaction connected with the affairs or interests of Singapore, Johnston ensured best results for the good of all. In 1823, when Sir Stamford Raffles projected the Singapore Institution, Alexander Johnston was named a Trustee, and his company A. L. Johnston & Co. were appointed Honorary treasurers, an office the Institution has used for several years.

The benefactor
Johnston was liberal and hospitable to the extreme, and in the earliest cash book when he commenced business here, the first entry to his personal debit was, "A. L. Johnston, Paid subscription for the release of a female European slave, $10". He was a liberal subscriber to the Singapore Institution, and even long after he left the Settlement, his interest in welfare continued sending liberal donations to its funds. Although an Anglican Protestant, he donated towards the first Catholic Chapel at Bras Basah Road. The building after that became the beginnings of St. Joseph Institution.

Singapore Chamber of Commerce
Alexander Laurie Johnston took an active part in setting up the Singapore Chamber of Commerce, which was established on 8 February, 1837. He was elected the first Chairman. In 1862 the firm of A. L. Johnston & Co. were still members of this grouping.

His home
In 1824, Alexander Laurie Johnston was officially listed as Merchant Resident. He lived in a house in a compound, in Battery Road, where the building of the Standard Chartered Bank is now.

Departure from Singapore
At one of his many farewell gatherings, a great number of the most respectable Chinese merchants presented him with a piece of Plate valued at one thousand dollars, and a Gold Snuff Box costing five hundred dollars. The Arab merchants presented him with something of equal value. On 17 December 1841, he finally left the Settlement and the East, for England, carrying with him the affectionate regards of all whom he left behind him. He was the best known and most highly respected of the earliest merchants in Singapore. A Singapore Free Press notice of 1 July, 1853 stated that the interest and responsibility of the late Mr. Alexander Laurie Johnston in the firm of A. L. Johnston, ceased on 31 August, 1847.

His property
On 8 June, 1854 at midday, two properties belonging to the estate of Alexander Laurie Johnston were sold by Public Auction. A bungalow with a compound area of 31,600 sq. feet, on the banks of the Rochore River, and nine brick-built shops in Selegie Road with a ground area of 12,200 sq. feet.

Retirement and death
He retired in Scotland.  He died in Bluehill, Kircudbright, in Scotland, on 19 February 1850. An elaborate and extensive obituary by the Singapore Free Press included these quotes, "To the deep regret of all who knew him on this Island, the news of the death of Alexander Laurie Johnston, Esquire". "To know him was to know an honest man and a warm friend" "he was one of the most sterling of the "worthies" of Singapore". Johnston's Pier was named after him.



Author
Vernon Cornelius-Takahama, 2001



References 
Abdullah Abdul Kadir, Munshi. (1969). The Hikayat Abdullah: The autobiography of Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir, 1797-1854 (pp. 158, 164, 281). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: RCLOS 959.51032 ABD)

Buckley, C. B. (1984). An anecdotal history of old times in Singapore: 1819-1867 (pp. 62-63, 81, 97, 122, 130, 154, 202, 245, 301, 313, 377, 457, 615 ). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 BUC)

Liu, G. (1999). Singapore: A pictorial history 1819-2000 (pp. 40, 56-57, 94-95, 148, 196). Singapore: Archipelago Press: National Heritage Board.
(Call no.: SING 959.57 LIU) 

Makepeace, W., Brooke, G. E., & Braddell, R. St. J. (Eds.). (1991). One hundred years of Singapore (Vol. 2, pp. 201, 416, 485). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 ONE)

Turnbull, C. M. (1989). A History of Singapore: 1819-1988 (pp. 15, 51, 66, 91). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 TUR)

Turnbull, C. M . (1972). The Straits Settlements, 1826-67: Indian presidency to crown colony (p. 24). London: Athlone Press.
(Call no.: RCLOS 959.57 TUR)

Tyers, R. K. (1993). Ray Tyers' Singapore: then & now (pp. 26, 121). Singapore: Landmark Books.
(Call no.: SING 959.57 TYE) 

Tyers, R. K. (1976). Singapore, then & now (pp. 224-225). Singapore: University Education Press.
(Call no.: SING 959.57 TYE)

Wurtzburg, C. E. (1984). Raffles of the Eastern Isles (pp. 593, 610, 635, 704). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: 959.570210924 RAF.W) 

A History of Singapore (p. 57). (1996). Singapore: Oxford University Press 1996.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 HIS)


Further Readings
Beamish, Jane. (1985). A history of Singapore architecture: The making of a city (p. 12). Singapore: G. Brash.
(Call no.: RSING 722.4095957 BEA)

Doggett, M. (1957). Characters of light: [A guide to the buildings of Singapore] (pp. 117-118). Singapore: Donald Moore.
(Call no.: RSING 722.4095957 DOG) 

Edwards, N., & Keys, P. (1988). Singapore: A guide to buildings, streets, places (pp. 384, 453, 483). Singapore: Times Books International.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 EDW)

Reith, G. M. (1985). Handbook to Singapore (pp. 6, 39, 54, 86). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 REI)

Turnbull, C. M. (1995). Dateline Singapore: 150 years of the Straits Times (pp. 22, 29). Singapore: Times Editions: Singapore Press Holdings.
(Call no.: SING 079.5957 TUR)

Singapore historical postcards from the National Archives collection (pp. 10, 19). [1986]. [Singapore]: Times Eds.
(Call no.: SING 769.4995957 SIN) 

Singapore Guide & Street Directory (p. 31). (1972, July). Singapore: Survey Dept.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 SIN) 

Singapore street directory and sectional maps (pp. 15-16). (1957). Singapore: Survey Dept. 
(Call no.: RCLOS 959.57 SIN)

Singapore Free Press, p. 3. [Microfilm: NL 1557]. (1841, December 23). 



The information in this article is valid as at 2001 and correct as far as we can ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Personalities>>Biographies>>Pioneers
Personalities>>Biographies>> Community leaders
Singapore--History--1819-1867
Colonial companies--Singapore
Businessman-- Singapore
Business, finance and industry>>Business organization>>Business enterprises

Librarian Recommendations
>> Johnston's Pier
>> Boat Quay
>> Collyer Quay
>> Battery Road
>> William H. Read


All Rights Reserved. National Library Board Singapore 2004.