She was born 28 August 1857 at Ironville, Derbys and baptised 6 December 1857 at Ironville, a daughter of Edward Johnson and his second wife Elizabeth formerly Hawksley.
In the census of 1861 she was living with her parents, aged 3 at 15 Victoria Street, born at Ironville.
She was aged 13 in the 1871 census, born at Ironville, and at the same address, living with her parents.
In 1881, she was apparently a domestic cook, aged 23 and unmarried, born at Ironville, in the household of Robert Davis, a lace manufacturer, at 11 Lenton Avenue, Standard Hill, Nottingham.
In 1891, as a deaconness, aged 34 and born in Ironville, she was living, as a helper, in the Connaught Institute, Brighton (St Martin).
In the 1901 census of The Refuge, 11 Floyds Row, St Aldate, Oxford she was unmarried, aged 46, a boarder and a Mildmay deaconess, born at Ironville. The Refuge was a home for fallen girls.
It seems that between 1881 and 1891 she joined this missionary order of teachers and nurses, founded by William Pennefather, vicar of St Judes, and perhaps attended the Mildmay Mission Deaconess House in North London.
A study of Kelly's Directories suggested that she was at The Refuge in Oxford 1894/5 to early 1901. The entries in the street directory sections are:
1890/1 and 1893, no number but after 10 Floyd's Row, Home of Refuge, Sister Ruth and Sister Mary, ladies in charge.
1894/5, 1895/6, 1900, 11 Floyd's Row, Home of Refuge, Sister Ruth and Sister Rebecca, ladies in charge.
1901, 11 Floyd's Row, Home of Refuge, Sister Ruth, lady in charge.
In the Telegraph directory of Oxford, 1902 it gives the Home of Refuge, Floyd's Row, Sister Ruth, and in Valter's Directory 1894, 11 - 12 Floyd's Row, Refuge for fallen Women.
In 1905 she was unmarried for she was named as Rebecca Johnson in her brother, Alexander’s will, taking a fifth share of the residue of his estate.
In 1911 (Index) Rebecca was aged 57, born in Ironville and living in Islington.
Rebecca Johnson died on 1 August 1938 at Mildmay Memorial Hospital, Newington Green, Highbury, Islington, aged 80 years. She was of Garden House, Newington Green Road, Islington, spinster, deaconess, daughter of Edward Johnson, mill furnace man (deceased). She died of (a) oedema of lungs, (b) myocarditis. The informant was Rebecca’s niece, Agnes Johnson (daughter of The Revd Alexander Johnson), who was living at 10, The College, Northfleet, Kent. Administration of her estate was granted at London (14 October 1938) to Agnes Johnson, spinster. Rebecca Johnson was of Garden House, Newington Green Road, Islington, a spinster. Rebecca’s effects were valued at £88 1s. 9d.
Posted October 2016