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Dr Archibald Johnston
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TitleDr Archibald JohnstonSummaryTwo articles about Dr. Archibald Johnston, a doctor based in Lincoln DescriptionDr Archibald Johnston was born 1898 in a little village called Makotuku in the Hawkes Bay.
His father was a teacher, and Archibald became a medical doctor, marrying his wife Lilias 1924. Around 1934, the couple moved down to Canterbury and settled in Lincoln in a villa-style house in what is today known as Edward Street. The house, with a macrocarpa hedge around it, also did duty as a surgery. Dr Johnston was very hardworking, often called out at night, getting home in the early hours of the morning, going down to surgery and making home visits afterwards. Lilias was a pharmacist and dispensed for her husband, and was known to be very meticulous. In those days, the house/surgery doors were never locked!
During his working life, Dr Johnston bought many babies into the world, and helped keep them healthy as they grew up. He was very fond of children, and many adults today have fond memories of him. In 1960, Dr Johnston and his wife retired to Tai Tapu, but he still worked as a locum for overworked GPs!
Dr Johnston died in 1971. The descendants of the late Dr Archibald and Lilias Johnston held a reunion in Christchurch at the end of January. His family - Bill, Rosemary, Helen, Robin, their families and grandchildren - all attended. On the Friday evening, all met for a social time together. Saturday saw descendants meeting for a picnic at Sumner, reminiscing on their fond memories of picnic days on the beach, paddling, sandcastles, hard-boiled eggs, pipis, melting penny icecreams, sunburn and trams.
That evening a dinner was held, and a number of anecdotes told of various amusing incidents that happened in the early days. All present came to the conclusion that they couldn't have had better parents or a happier childhood, or lived in a better place than Lincoln. The Presbyterian church in Lincoln (now a Union church) was visited on Sunday morning where family members had attended Sunday School and were regular members of the congregation, and where all the girls were married. "The service was truly memorable," said one of Dr Johnston's daughters, Helen Webber. "The welcome we received from the minister was quite overwhelming and the service was beautiful in its simplicity. "Three people who had known Dad since their birth spoke of their memories of him, and after the service there was time for a cup of tea and reminiscing with old friends from schooldays." Helen said that the family considered their time at the church was the highlight of the week-end.
After church, descendants visited their old home, "Spring Grove", with the present owner, Kate Carnaby, kindly showing them over the house. "It was great for our children and grandchildren to see where their parents and grandparents lived, and our thanks and appreciation go to Kate for this opportunity," Helen concluded.
Dr Johnston's descendants considered they all went home enriched by the experience of the weekend, and despite great changes in the Lincoln township, were convinced the people are still as warm-hearted and hospitable as they remembered them.
A later article published in response to the one above:
Recently the Ellesmere Echo featured an article on Dr Johnston, former well-known doctor of Lincoln. Not long after this went to print, I received a call from Ivor Smith of Leeston who informed me that Dr Johnston had also practised in Leeston. Ivor's memories, along with those of Ron Townshend, formerly of Leeston, are recorded here for the interest of readers.
Dr Johnston must have been in Leeston from about 1923. Ivor Smith recalls being Dr Johnston's first patient. He wouldn't have been any older than about six at the time, and was coming down with chicken pox. The Smiths were living in Pennington Street then, and Ivor was bundled into the sidecar of his father's Indian motorcycle and taken up to old Dr Bernard Volckman (father of well-known Bill Volckman).
Once there, Dr Volckman introduced them to Dr Johnston and the chicken pox was diagnosed. Dr Johnston was also responsible for delivering Ivor's twin sisters, Peg and Nola. They had the distinction of being the first babies born in the newly-opened Leeston Hospital, and arrived in the world on the 16th of October, 1924.
Ron Townshend remembers when Dr and Mrs Johnston first came to Leeston. He and his older brother, Phil, were on the footpath outside Morgan and Watson's garage in Leeston (on the site of Legg and McMahon Motors) when Morgan and Watson's blue Sunbeam sedan (a circa 1912 model) turned up. It was used for a taxi service and would have come from the railway station. Ron and Phil, sons of the well-known dentist Frank Townshend, went over to have a look, curiosity having got the better of them. Inside were Dr Johnston and his wife, a smiling, happy young couple and both spoke to the boys. Little did they realise that Dr Johnston was to become their family doctor and the Johnstons, great family friends.
For much (but maybe not all) of their time in Leeston, Dr Johnston and his family lived at the property opposite where old Dr Volckman was (No. 2, Chapman Street). This house today is the second one along from Cochranes and it is understood was built originally from the top storey of the old Holley homestead.Later on, Dr Bill Volckman also lived and practised here.First NameArchibaldLast NameJohnstonDate of Birth1898Place of BirthMakotuku, Hawkes Bay
His father was a teacher, and Archibald became a medical doctor, marrying his wife Lilias 1924. Around 1934, the couple moved down to Canterbury and settled in Lincoln in a villa-style house in what is today known as Edward Street. The house, with a macrocarpa hedge around it, also did duty as a surgery. Dr Johnston was very hardworking, often called out at night, getting home in the early hours of the morning, going down to surgery and making home visits afterwards. Lilias was a pharmacist and dispensed for her husband, and was known to be very meticulous. In those days, the house/surgery doors were never locked!
During his working life, Dr Johnston bought many babies into the world, and helped keep them healthy as they grew up. He was very fond of children, and many adults today have fond memories of him. In 1960, Dr Johnston and his wife retired to Tai Tapu, but he still worked as a locum for overworked GPs!
Dr Johnston died in 1971. The descendants of the late Dr Archibald and Lilias Johnston held a reunion in Christchurch at the end of January. His family - Bill, Rosemary, Helen, Robin, their families and grandchildren - all attended. On the Friday evening, all met for a social time together. Saturday saw descendants meeting for a picnic at Sumner, reminiscing on their fond memories of picnic days on the beach, paddling, sandcastles, hard-boiled eggs, pipis, melting penny icecreams, sunburn and trams.
That evening a dinner was held, and a number of anecdotes told of various amusing incidents that happened in the early days. All present came to the conclusion that they couldn't have had better parents or a happier childhood, or lived in a better place than Lincoln. The Presbyterian church in Lincoln (now a Union church) was visited on Sunday morning where family members had attended Sunday School and were regular members of the congregation, and where all the girls were married. "The service was truly memorable," said one of Dr Johnston's daughters, Helen Webber. "The welcome we received from the minister was quite overwhelming and the service was beautiful in its simplicity. "Three people who had known Dad since their birth spoke of their memories of him, and after the service there was time for a cup of tea and reminiscing with old friends from schooldays." Helen said that the family considered their time at the church was the highlight of the week-end.
After church, descendants visited their old home, "Spring Grove", with the present owner, Kate Carnaby, kindly showing them over the house. "It was great for our children and grandchildren to see where their parents and grandparents lived, and our thanks and appreciation go to Kate for this opportunity," Helen concluded.
Dr Johnston's descendants considered they all went home enriched by the experience of the weekend, and despite great changes in the Lincoln township, were convinced the people are still as warm-hearted and hospitable as they remembered them.
A later article published in response to the one above:
Recently the Ellesmere Echo featured an article on Dr Johnston, former well-known doctor of Lincoln. Not long after this went to print, I received a call from Ivor Smith of Leeston who informed me that Dr Johnston had also practised in Leeston. Ivor's memories, along with those of Ron Townshend, formerly of Leeston, are recorded here for the interest of readers.
Dr Johnston must have been in Leeston from about 1923. Ivor Smith recalls being Dr Johnston's first patient. He wouldn't have been any older than about six at the time, and was coming down with chicken pox. The Smiths were living in Pennington Street then, and Ivor was bundled into the sidecar of his father's Indian motorcycle and taken up to old Dr Bernard Volckman (father of well-known Bill Volckman).
Once there, Dr Volckman introduced them to Dr Johnston and the chicken pox was diagnosed. Dr Johnston was also responsible for delivering Ivor's twin sisters, Peg and Nola. They had the distinction of being the first babies born in the newly-opened Leeston Hospital, and arrived in the world on the 16th of October, 1924.
Ron Townshend remembers when Dr and Mrs Johnston first came to Leeston. He and his older brother, Phil, were on the footpath outside Morgan and Watson's garage in Leeston (on the site of Legg and McMahon Motors) when Morgan and Watson's blue Sunbeam sedan (a circa 1912 model) turned up. It was used for a taxi service and would have come from the railway station. Ron and Phil, sons of the well-known dentist Frank Townshend, went over to have a look, curiosity having got the better of them. Inside were Dr Johnston and his wife, a smiling, happy young couple and both spoke to the boys. Little did they realise that Dr Johnston was to become their family doctor and the Johnstons, great family friends.
For much (but maybe not all) of their time in Leeston, Dr Johnston and his family lived at the property opposite where old Dr Volckman was (No. 2, Chapman Street). This house today is the second one along from Cochranes and it is understood was built originally from the top storey of the old Holley homestead.Later on, Dr Bill Volckman also lived and practised here.First NameArchibaldLast NameJohnstonDate of Birth1898Place of BirthMakotuku, Hawkes Bay
Connections
PlaceLincoln
Attribution
Taken FromEllesmere Echo, 8 February 2006Ellesmere Echo, 22 March 2006 by Stephen Wright
Dr Archibald Johnston. Selwyn Stories, accessed 13/02/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/550
