Pat Johnson

Patrick Joseph Johnson was a member of the Municipal Commission of Singapore representing the Labour Party and a lawyer.

Early life and education

Johnson was born to a working class family in Cardiff. He received his education in British Malaya.[1]

Career

Johnson was initialy employed as a temporary clerk. He joined the Malayan Forestry Department in 1925, eventually rising to the rank of extra assistant conservator of forests before his retirement from civil service in 1939. In 1943, he was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple. He then became a member of the Fabian Society, the Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers and the Socialist Party of Great Britain.[1]

Johnson joined the Labour Party. He won April 1949 Singapore Municipal Commission election for North Ward, and was the only Labour candidate to have won a seat in the election.[2] In June, he was asked by the rest of the commissioners to draft a legislation for the requisitioning and control of all vacant premises in Singapore.[3] In June 1950, Johnson refused to serve as the party's president or vice-president despite being nominated as his confidence in the party was "shaken".[4] He left the party in July.[5] His resignation was accepted by the party during a meeting of the party's General Council on 25 August.[6] However, he retained his seat as an Independent Labour Commissioner.[7] He retired from the commission in 1951.[8] He also served as a solicitor and a barrister in Singapore.[9]

Personal life

He had a daughter.[10] On 11 December 1950, he was attacked by rioters during the Maria Hertogh Riots and was badly injured. He briefly went missing, and was found the next day in a drain.[11][12] He regained consciousness on 15 December.[13] By 1953, he had moved to England.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 "Lawyer To Stand For Labour". The Straits Times. 26 February 1949. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  2. ↑ "S'PORE MUNICIPAL ELECTION RESULTS". Indian Daily Mail. 4 April 1949. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  3. ↑ "JOHNSON TO DRAFT LEGISLATION". Sunday Tribune. 5 June 1949. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  4. ↑ "PAT JOHNSON STAGES WALK-OUT". The Singapore Free Press. 12 June 1950. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  5. ↑ "Pat Johnson To Quit Mun. Commission". Singapore Standard. 31 July 1950. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  6. ↑ "Labour Party Accepts Mr. Pat Johnson's Resignation". Indian Daily Mail. 28 August 1950. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  7. ↑ "Pat Johnson Will Stand For Council". The Straits Times. 6 February 1951. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  8. ↑ "LABOUR PREPARES FOR POLL". The Straits Times. 6 August 1951. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  9. ↑ "TENGKU TO FAY £700 DAMAGES". Indian Daily Mail. 18 December 1953. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  10. ↑ "MISS JOSEPHINE JOHNSON, 16-year-old daughter of Mr. Pat Johnson, Singapore lawyer, seen with her father before she left Singapore by the Charon on Feb. 18 to sit for her matriculation at St. Bridget's Ladies College, Perth". The Straits Budget. 24 February 1949. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  11. ↑ "Pat Johnson Is Still Missing". Malaya Tribune. 12 December 1950. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  12. ↑ "PAT JOHNSON FOUND HURT". The Singapore Free Press. 12 December 1950. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  13. ↑ "Johnson Regains Consciousness". Singapore Standard. 16 December 1950. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  14. ↑ "TENGKU TO PAY £700 DAMAGES". The Straits Budget. 18 December 1953. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
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