Joseph Churchward

Who is Joseph Churchward?

Joseph Churchward QSM was a Samoan New Zealander, graphic designer and typesetter. He is famous for having designed fonts now used around the world. His designs were also used in the masthead of the newspaper The Evening Post. He handcrafted an estimated 690 original typefaces.

Churchward was born in Apia, Samoa. He moved to New Zealand in 1946 to study at Miramar South School in Wellington. In 1948, he obtained an Art Distinction Award in Lettering from Wellington Technical College and began a career as a commercial artist.

He founded Churchward International Typefaces in 1969. German company Berthold Fototypes subsequently distributed his fonts throughout the world. Over the span of his career, Churchward created more than 582 original typefaces. In 2008, a special exhibition was set up for his art at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

Churchward was of Samoan, English, Scottish, Tongan and Chinese heritage.

He was awarded the Queen's Service Medal in the 2010 Queen's Birthday Honours, for services to typography.

One of his typefaces, Churchward Design is used in the opening and closing titles of the French movie Le Magnifique.