Johnson, (Jensen) John, ‘The Kings Arms’, Long Acre, London; cabinet maker (b.c.1670-d.1695).

Son of Gerrit Jensen by his first marriage. He may have been trained by his father but no record of his apprenticeship or freedom survives in the Joiners’ Company records; perhaps he was apprenticed in another company. He probably worked with his father and he took over the lease of Jensen’s house and workshop in Long acre in April 1694, after Jensen had moved to St Martin’s Lane. In the four shillings in the pound tax assessment of 1694-5 both John and Gerrit were listed as Roman Catholics. John had died by late 1695 and on 10 February 1695/6 his widow Anne placed a notice in the London Gazette announcing she was leaving off trade and was offering ‘all sorts of Cabinet-makers Goods both Indian and English, to be sold at reasonable Rates, at the Kings Arms in Long Acre, and the House to be Let’. Only one bill from this maker is known, for work done for the 6th Earl of Dorset in the early 1690s. It is inscribed ‘John Johnson’s jnr bill Cabbinetmaker’ and the amount was £2 4s. It was receipted by Anne Johnson [Kent Archives, U269, A211 part II]. Both John’s wife Anne and their daughter Winifred were mentioned in Jensen’s will.

Sources: DEFM; Bowett & Lindey, ‘Looking for Gerrit Jensen’, Furniture History (2017), pp. 27-50.