Jock Kinneir born in Hampshire
Jock is born to Helen and Guy Kinneir in Aldershot, Hampshire. After their separation he is brought up by his paternal grandparents in Bexhill. He attends Tonbridge School in Kent.
Timeline
Review our chronological survey contextualising Jock Kinneir’s personal life, teaching and education, and design practice.
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Studies at Chelsea School of Art
Jock Kinneir breaks a family legacy of surgeons to study engraving at Chelsea College of Arts, a red brick building off Kings Road in Chelsea.
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“You can be sure of Shell”
After completing his studies at Chelsea, Jock is one of several young artists commissioned to produce imagery for Shell.
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World War II begins
At the beginning of WWII, Jock joins the British Army. He serves as a captain in North Africa, Italy, and Burma.
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Jock and Joan marry
Jock, 23, and Joan Lancaster marry in Eastbury, Berkshire.
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Takes role at Central Office of Information
Immediately following WWII, working at COI, Jock is responsible for the display design of the ‘Polar’ section in the Dome of Discovery at the 1951 Festival of Britain.
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Geneva Convention on Road and Motor Transport
United Nations World Conference where the ‘Protocol on Road Signs and Signals’ is devised.
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Joins Design Research Unit
Jock worked with Misha Black and Milner Gray at Design Research Unit through to 1956.
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Living on a Landing Craft
The family of five live aboard the converted craft while plans of their first home are drawn up by Jock.
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Begins teaching at Chelsea School of Art
A part-time role through to 1958. Here he meets Margaret Calvert who is studying illustration.
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Starts his own business
In 1952 Jock starts his own business. By 1956 he is renting a small office above a garage at 3, Old Barrack Yard, Knightsbridge.
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Anderson Committee forms to look at Motorway signage
Behind the pace of Europe, particularly Germany’s Autobahns, the UK needs to start building motorways, and these require signage.
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Kinneir begins work on signage for Gatwick Airport
Through a conversation at a bus stop with one of the architects working on Gatwick Airport, Jock secured a project which was to define his practice.
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Margaret Calvert becomes Jock Kinneir’s assistant
After being asked to develop signage for Gatwick Airport, Jock asks his graduating Chelsea student Margaret Calvert to be his assistant.
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P&O-Orient Lines Luggage Labels
After seeing their work for Gatwick, Colin Anderson of P&O asks Jock to develop a suite of labels to be read by people of different languages and levels of literacy around the world.
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UK’s first full length motorway opens
Jock and Margaret drive down what is an empty Preston Bypass admiring the first set of full size signs in situ.
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Typography in Britain Today
Exhibition of 37 designers organised by publisher Lund Humphries.
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First Things First
Graphic designer Ken Garland publishes his First Things First manifesto. Though he was not a signatory, Jock Kinneir agreed: “Designers oriented in this direction are concerned less with persuasion and more with information…”
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Kinneir Calvert Associates forms
Kinneir Associates becomes Kinneir Calvert Associates with Margaret Calvert and Jock Kinneir becoming business partners, continuing their practice from 3 Old Barrack Yard, London.
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Jock Kinneir begins teaching Graphic Design at the RCA as Head of Department
In the Summer of 1964 Anthony Froshaug leaves the Royal College of Art and Richard Guyatt of the School of Graphic design contacts Jock Kinneir, 46. He swiftly steps from Senior Tutor to Head of Department, four days a week.
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‘Pan African Railways’ brief to Royal College of Arts students
This important brief asks students to design a luggage-labelling system to be read by railway staff of multiple languages between South Africa and Egypt.
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“…he had a quite up-to-date modernness”
Junior designer Andrew Haig joins Kinneir Calvert Associates. Here he describes Jock’s thinking, day-to-day studio life and working with the team.
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Transportation Graphics: Where Am I Going? How Do I Get There?
A 1967 symposium on Transportation Graphics at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, invited Jock Kinneir to present. We can now accompany the magazine Dot Zero’s publication on it with the original audio recording.
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International Civil Aviation Organisation meeting
Jock Kinneir travelled to Montreal to act as advisor to the UK delegate at the International Civil Aviation Organisation meeting.
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Tutors at Royal College of Art for one day a week
After Summer 1969 Jock Kinneir ceases to be Head of Department but tutors one day a week through to Summer 1974.
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Kinneir Calvert Tuhill formed
Soon after graduating, 1969 RCA graduate David Tuhill joined the firm.
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Captain Cook’s Florilegium published by the Lion and Unicorn Press
A printing press was established at the RCA in 1953. On arriving at the RCA in 1964 Jock Kinneir joined an already two year long project Captain Cooks Florilegium through to the final publication of its two issues in 1973.
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Graphic design workshop at the Aarhus School of Architecture
Jock Kinneir runs a one-time workshop ‘Information in the Environment’ to students of multiple courses. Peter Gyllan describes switching from Industrial to Graphic Design after taking part.
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David Tuhill interviews staff of the Graphic Design department of the RCA
Autumn term of 1973 David Tuhill interviews and takes portraits of the staff of the Graphic Design department. Jock discusses the difference between practice towards the superficial or the fundamental.
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Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines – the visual treatment for a new town
Kinneir Calvert Associates were invited to propose a holistic approach towards the identity and visual treatment for a new French city south of Paris, Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines
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NATO conference ‘Visual Presentation of Information’
Jock presents during session 4 titled ‘Road Traffic Signs’ as part of a four-day NATO conference addressing the practical and graphic problems of road sign design.
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Words and Buildings
Words and Buildings: the art and practice of public lettering is published in London by The Architectural Press.
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Jock Kinneir retires to Oxfordshire
In his retirement, Jock and Joan live in ‘Hope House’ which he designed and had built in the quiet hamlet of Winderton, Oxfordshire. Here he focuses on family, his ancestry, gardening his …
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Jock Kinneir passes away
Jock passes away age 77, survived by his wife Joan and the families of his three children.