tech
February 2, 2026
Waddle this way! The sign-making genius who kept Britain’s drivers (and ducks) safe
Airports, road signs, animal warnings … Margaret Calvert revolutionised how Britain looked and her brilliantly clear designs are still used today. We meet the font legend and Porsche lover
TL;DR
- Margaret Calvert, turning 90, is a celebrated graphic designer known for her work on road signs and typefaces.
- She co-designed Britain's national road signage system in the late 1950s to mid-1960s, aiming for clarity and legibility.
- Calvert also designed the Transport typeface, which is widely used on British roads and the gov.uk website.
- Her design for the Tyne and Wear Metro typeface, named Calvert, is a civic landmark.
- Her career, spanning over six decades, began with commercial art and evolved into graphic design.
- Calvert has taught graphic design for nearly 40 years, influencing many successful designers.
- A new book, 'Woman at Work', chronicles her life and career, highlighting her impact on postwar British graphic design.
- She was born in South Africa and came to Britain in 1950, studying at Chelsea College of Art.
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