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Bernard Winton Johns
Descriptive Data
TypeAgencyDate Range1902-1982DescriptionBernard was born in Wanganui, but moved to Wellington with his family as a child. He worked as a draughtsman for his father (Henry Thomas Johns) and for the offices of William M Page, Watson, Gooder & Lee, and Llewellyn Williams in Wellington. His education was completed in England where he worked for the practices of Slater & Moberly and Joseph Emberton. Bernard Johns returned to New Zealand following the death of his father, establishing the posthumous practice of H T Johns & Son.
During the 1930s Bernard designed a large number of houses, generally in an original English domestic revival style showing the influence of the Arts & Crafts movement and the work of C F A Voysey. Several are in the neo-Georgian manner. Bob Meldrum & Frank Whitwell were in partnership with Johns after the war. There were many post-war houses built too, and his biggest commission, the office building for the New Zealand Wool Board, was completed in 1955.
After Frank Whitwell died in 1957 Bernard found it hard to keep on top of things. His son Chris came home from San Francisco to help him at the end of 1966. Bernard "retired" to Levin around 1969 and in the early 1970s joined the rather loosely bound Architects Group Practice (with Chris Johns in Paraparaumu Beach, Ben Brenton in Wellington, John McKeefry in Lower Hutt). They worked as a loose co-op, helping one another out with documentation and tricky situations, and shared staff. This arrangement continued until Chris departed for Auckland in 1978. Bernard continued practicing under his own name before his health declined.
Bernard is best known today for his houses, always well designed with attention to detail and quality. His skill as an architect rests not just with his houses, however, as the Wool Board building is an accomplished modern design – one of the landmark buildings of the 1950’s in Wellington.External LinksInto the closet: the spread of consumption and fitted furniture in the 1940s, with particular reference to the houses of Bernard Johns
During the 1930s Bernard designed a large number of houses, generally in an original English domestic revival style showing the influence of the Arts & Crafts movement and the work of C F A Voysey. Several are in the neo-Georgian manner. Bob Meldrum & Frank Whitwell were in partnership with Johns after the war. There were many post-war houses built too, and his biggest commission, the office building for the New Zealand Wool Board, was completed in 1955.
After Frank Whitwell died in 1957 Bernard found it hard to keep on top of things. His son Chris came home from San Francisco to help him at the end of 1966. Bernard "retired" to Levin around 1969 and in the early 1970s joined the rather loosely bound Architects Group Practice (with Chris Johns in Paraparaumu Beach, Ben Brenton in Wellington, John McKeefry in Lower Hutt). They worked as a loose co-op, helping one another out with documentation and tricky situations, and shared staff. This arrangement continued until Chris departed for Auckland in 1978. Bernard continued practicing under his own name before his health declined.
Bernard is best known today for his houses, always well designed with attention to detail and quality. His skill as an architect rests not just with his houses, however, as the Wool Board building is an accomplished modern design – one of the landmark buildings of the 1950’s in Wellington.External LinksInto the closet: the spread of consumption and fitted furniture in the 1940s, with particular reference to the houses of Bernard Johns
Controlled or Created Series
Controlled SeriesBernard Winton Johns papers
Bernard Winton Johns. Archives Online, accessed 23/03/2026, https://archivesonline.wcc.govt.nz/nodes/view/943091