Eric and Macdonald Gill

Eric Gill was born in Brighton in 1882 where his father was Assistant Minister at the Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel, a non-conformist sect. The family, with 11 children, moved to Chichester when his father began to study for the Anglican ministry and Gill enrolled at the local art school. He was articled to the architect W.H.Caroe in London, was taught calligraphy at evening class by Edward Johnston and also learnt masonry skills.

He started executing lettering for Caroe's buildings and when a commission allowed him to leave, did so, taking up lettering full-time. He moved to a workshop in Hammersmith in 1905 where Hilary Pepler and Johnston were neighbours and he came into contact with the Arts and Crafts movement. He moved to Ditchling, East Sussex in 1907 with his family and set up a workshop with apprentice Joseph Cribb. In 1910 Gill began to carve figures in stone and in 1912 was included in Roger Fry's second Post-Impressionist Exhibition in London.

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