Powys County Archives
Powys County Archives
Health Care
Chemists' Shops in Powys
William W Johnson was a chemist from Derby who acquired a chemist's business in Llandrindod Wells. This had been set up in around 1878. When William Johnson took over the business from George Bentley, he had 2 shops in High Street and Temple Street (the High Street shop closed in 1926 but was replaced by one on Park Crescent). The business was eventually sold to George Hilliar, a former apprentice to William Johnson. Johnson himself died in 1947.
In 1891, he lived at his High Street shop with his wife and baby daughter. The census shows that he was prosperous enough to have two servants living with the family:
| 1891 Census | ||||||
| 2 High Street, Cefnllys, Llandrindod Wells | ||||||
| Name | Position in household |
Marital status |
Age | Occupation | Place of Birth | English/Welsh speaker |
| William W Johnson | Head | M | 31 | Chemist | Derbyshire, Derby | English |
| Martha E Johnson | Wife | M | 25 | Knighton, Radnorshire | English | |
| Adeline M Johnson | Daur | 1 | Llandrindod Wells | English | ||
| Elizabeth Evans | Serv | S | 19 | Servant | Shropshire, Rodington | English |
| Elizabeth Barnett | Serv | S | 21 | Nurse | Shropshire, Llanfair Waterdine | English |
Powys County Archives
Johnson's original prescription books for 1891 survive showing various medicaments dispensed by him, including a prescription for Mrs Twyning, the wife of Major Twyning, a local magistrate.
Other pages from the prescription books can be seen here.
Many of the original chemist's bottles from Johnson's shop in Park Crescent are now on display at the Radnorshire Museum.