James Johnston

James Stewart Johnston (7 February 1811 – 10 August 1896) was a Scottish-Australian businessman, newspaper owner and politician, a member of the Victorian Legislative Council November 1851 to December 1852 (then unicameral) and the Victorian Legislative Assembly, October 1859 to August 1864.

Early life Johnston was the only son of James Johnston, of the Paper Mills, Mid Calder, West Lothian, and was born in Edinburgh. He studied for the medical profession at the university, but ultimately abandoned it, and went to the West Indies, where, after two years, his health broke down, and he returned to Scotland.

Career in Australia In 1838 Johnston went to Tasmania, where he received a Government appointment in the office of the Superintendent of Convicts. In 1840, Johnston left for Port Phillip (Victoria), and started an hotel in Melbourne, where he became a member of the City Council, and ultimately an alderman. He gave up hotel-keeping about 1846. Johnston Street, Collingwood, a major east west arterial road, is named in his memory.