Remembering Keith Johnson

Keith was born in Shepperton, Middlesex on 13th June 1944, the son of a taxi driver who also had a second weekend job as a wedding photographer. So Keith knew about photography from an early age and while still at school had a weekend job in a camera shop in Walton on Thames.

Progressing through Paul Fraser Cameras and the then Dixons Professional division, around 1970 he started his own business, Keith Johnson Photographic based out of an office in Sutton. I first met Keith in December 1971, when I was working as an assistant to Brian Duffy in Swiss Cottage and Keith rang the doorbell, selling his wares. Before long Keith had moved his operation to 45 Great Marlborough Street in Soho and became a regular supplier to Duffy’s studio, primarily because of the great service he offered with quick deliveries, more than often in a black cab. His generous credit terms also helped.

In 1974 I left Duffy and went to work for Keith as a darkroom salesman, the 11th employee of the company,  quickly getting involved in exporting, initially to Saudi Arabia but then to many other countries specialising in designing and installing photo labs with Keith taking a very hands on role with the installations. Meanwhile KJP was expanding rapidly, adding a number of import lines to the portfolio, moving first just a few hundred yards to Ramillies Street and then in the early 80s to much larger premises at 11 Great Marlborough Street. KJP had by now taken over Nottingham Photo Centre with branches in Nottingham and Aberdeen and another smaller outlet in Belfast, with the number of employees now over 100 and a fleet of 5 vans offering an unrivalled daily delivery service throughout greater London and into the Home Counties, long before the days of couriers.

Even though I am probably biased I think it is fair to say that Keith Johnson’s success was very much down to the excellent service he offered and the knowledgeable team he assembled around him. He was a good and fair boss who inspired great loyalty. And of course the generous credit terms on offer. It is probably fair to say that the credit terms allowed a large number of photographers to get started, particularly in London, and kept them afloat, though that in itself always kept Keith busy juggling the cash flow while still directing operations from his desk in the middle of the sales floor, getting the broom out to keep the place clean, or donning overalls to do some essential repairs. No sitting in an office for him!

And of course there were all the fun things. The KJP wine club – Keith did enjoy his wine! The fantastic staff Xmas parties, including the one when  he took the whole company to the Isle of Wight for the weekend only for a once in a century storm to leave almost the entire staff stranded there for an extra night, with Keith and a couple of others braving the elements to get back to open on Monday morning. And then the whole train he chartered to go to Photography at Work in Harrogate, including steam hauled between York and Harrogate, with the complimentary wine flowing freely on the entire return journey. Keith was never one to do things by halves.

In 1987 Keith decided it was time to sell and KJP was acquired by the Footsie 100 company, Wolsely Plc, and merged with rivals Pelling and Cross although the new company continued to trade as KJP, but now Keith Johnson and Pelling.

Keith always had a close involvement with the AOP (then AFAEP) sponsoring the Awards from their inception in 1984. In the mid 80s Keith was approached by the then General Secretary Tina Stapley and her assistant Janet Ibbotson for his help as the Association was struggling and unable to meet its commitments. He lent them a substantial amount of money ensuring that year’s Awards book could be published, whilst continuing KJP’s sponsorship. The proviso was that the AFAEP accounts were computerised using KJP’s system and run by then KJP Finance Director Paul Hobgen and his then PA Gwen Thomas. When Keith decided to sell KJP, knowing that a number of his staff faced redundancy, he did a deal with AFAEP. Take Gwen on to run their accounts and he would wipe the loan! That was what duly happened and Gwen was with AOP for thirty odd years.

Keith initially remained on the board of the new KJP and despite doing his normal very hands on job of overseeing moving the P+C branches in Bristol and Birmingham to new premises, his new role, sitting in an office at HQ in Conway Street, far from the shop floor, bored him to tears and he was gone within a year. His next venture was to purchase a vineyard in Sussex, Barnsgate Manor, where he built up a function facility, weddings, corporate events etc where he once again revelled in a hands on role as “mein host”. Meanwhile his wife Linda turned her hand to breeding Llamas and eventually they bought a nearby rare breeds centre where they built a house. Sadly the marriage fell apart and Keith moved back to a small flat at Barnsgate and remarried. His second wife pre-deceased him. Business declined and Barnsgate eventually closed, Keith having invested and lost nearly all of  his money in it,. His health was not good, he was still enjoying too much wine and smoking as heavily as ever. Sadly his latter days were not happy, living in a small flat with daily visits from a wonderful carer and a number of stays in hospital. He was very deaf which made it difficult to talk on the phone and my regular Sunday evening conversations with him came to an end a few years ago. He had no children and his only sister died some years ago.

However Keith leaves many happy memories of the good days when he made many friends in the photo industry.

RIP friend.

With thanks for input from Gwen Thomas and Roy Tallent (who went to school with Keith and worked at KJP until he retired a few years ago). 

Francis Newman