Eric Gill (1882–1940) was born in Brighton. He trained initially as an architect under W. D. Caröe in London but soon shifted toward lettering, calligraphy, and stone carving, influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement.
Gill established himself as a skilled stone carver and sculptor, producing both religious and secular works. Among his most notable sculptures are Prospero and Ariel (1932) outside Broadcasting House, and relief carvings for public buildings, including Palace of Westminster.
He also became one of the most important typographic designers of the 20th century. His typefaces—especially Gill Sans (1928) and Perpetua—were developed during his association with the Monotype Corporation. Gill Sans, in particular, became iconic and has been widely used in British signage, including by the BBC and railway systems.
Gill was also involved with the Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic, a Catholic craft community in Ditchling, reflecting his deep religious convictions, converting to Roman Catholicism in 1913. He later moved to Capel-y-ffin in Wales, and during this time became the chief engraver and illustrator for the Golden Cockerel Press. Several of the resulting books, including The Song of Songs (1925), Troilus and Criseyde (1927), The Canterbury Tales (1928), and The Four Gospels (1931) are considered classics of specialist book production.
After the posthumous publication of his private diaries in the 1980s, the revelation of Gill's abuse towards family members has led to ongoing debate about how to interpret and present his work.
