The world of British art and design has lost a revered figure with the death of Richard Kindersley at the age of 86. A master letter cutter, typeface designer, and sculptor, Kindersley's profound belief in the unique value of handcrafted work left an indelible mark on the nation's architectural landscape.
A Legacy Carved in Stone and Concrete
Kindersley, who passed away on 27 November 2025, was a passionate advocate for the special coordination between hand and eye. He argued that handwork gifted the viewer a direct connection to the maker's creativity. Born in London on 14 May 1939, he was the eldest child of the distinguished letter cutter David Kindersley, placing him in the direct lineage of the 20th-century revival of British lettering, a tradition passed down from Eric Gill.
His career was defined by a desire to integrate beautiful, thoughtful lettering with modern architecture. He began this mission in the late 1960s, working with architect William Holford at Exeter University. While many architects defaulted to standard typefaces like Univers, Kindersley championed bespoke, material-specific designs.
His early notable work includes the rugged cast concrete letters for the Cathedral Church of SS Peter & Paul in Clifton, Bristol, completed in 1973. He designed the lettering for the 1973 London Bridge and created the monumental lettering for the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge (Dartford Crossing), using innovative hotwire carving techniques on polystyrene to create concrete casts.
Monuments, Memorials, and Megaliths
Kindersley's work ranged from architectural integration to powerful standalone sculptures. He created a cast-aluminium totem, The Seven Ages of Man, for Baynard House in London in 1980, featuring raised letters from Shakespeare's As You Like It.
Outside St Paul's Cathedral, he designed a seven-metre-long floor plan in Welsh slate and Purbeck stone, installed in 2009, showing the pre-Great Fire outline of the building. In later years, he developed a deep interest in megalithic forms. One of his most poignant works is the 2002 Emigration Stone at Cromarty, commemorating the forced departure of Highlanders for North America in the 1830s.
His final and most challenging commission was leading the creation of all lettering for the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer, France, completed in 2021. The memorial bears the names of 22,442 individuals who died during the D-Day landings and the Battle of Normandy. Kindersley designed a special font for the project, with the names digitally machine-cut for practicality—a necessary compromise he accepted, knowing hand-cutting would have taken over a decade.
Teacher, Mentor, and Craftsman
Kindersley was a dedicated teacher, committed to preserving his craft. He taught at the Central School of Art and Design in the 1970s and was a visiting lecturer and trustee at the City & Guilds of London Art School. For years, he led educational trips to Italy to study historical inscriptions.
He ran his studio from Kennington, south London, from 1970 until his death. A kind and spiritual man, he was honoured with numerous awards, including being made an Honorary Fellow of RIBA in 2001 and receiving the Freedom of the City of London.
Richard Kindersley is survived by his wife, Katherine, whom he married in 1989, and his sons Daniel, Matthew, and Peter from his first marriage. His work remains a permanent, physical testament to the enduring power of crafted lettering and form, visible in cathedrals, public spaces, and memorials across the UK and beyond.
