John Lawson Johnston

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Jar of Bovril, for which Johnston became famous

John Lawson Johnston (1839-1900) was the creator of Bovril.

He was born in 29 Main Street, Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland. A plaque is on the property and can be seen above the door. The plaque was put there by the Roslin Historical Society.

In 1874, the French Army sent him to Canada to supply the army with beef; while there, he developed Johnston's Fluid Beef (brand Bovril). He sold his Canadian business in 1880 and returned to England where he lived at 'Bovril Castle' -- Kingswood House, Sydenham -- while he developed the Bovril brand across Britain, based on the commercial promotion of dietetics. When he sold the Bovril company in 1896 he earned £2 million, although he stayed on as Chairman until his death.

His second son George Lawson Johnston also managed the Bovril company and was raised to the peerage as Baron Luke.