Together with Gemini
Computer, Westminster was the first
typeface design to apply the idiosyncratic forms of
machine-readable magnetic ink numerals (see MICR) to
letters. Initially drawn by Leo Maggs in c. 1964 or 1965 at Hazell Sun Group’s design
studio for an article in About the House, the magazine
of The Friends of Covent Garden Opera House. Maggs based his
all-caps lettering on the numerals of the E-13B MICR typeface,
and later completed the alphabet, “based […] on the classic
proportions of Gill Sans”. Rejected by Letraset, but produced by
Photoscript Ltd., including a lowercase. [S.
Mercer] Release date unknown; shown as early as 1968.
[Photoscript
1968] Depicted in Lettera 4 (1972) as
Programm (with descending ‘J’ and narrow ‘V’, unlike
in More…
Together with Gemini Computer, Westminster was the first typeface design to apply the idiosyncratic forms of machine-readable magnetic ink numerals (see MICR) to letters. Initially drawn by Leo Maggs in c. 1964 or 1965 at Hazell Sun Group’s design studio for an article in About the House, the magazine of The Friends of Covent Garden Opera House. Maggs based his all-caps lettering on the numerals of the E-13B MICR typeface, and later completed the alphabet, “based […] on the classic proportions of Gill Sans”. Rejected by Letraset, but produced by Photoscript Ltd., including a lowercase. [S. Mercer] Release date unknown; shown as early as 1968. [Photoscript 1968] Depicted in Lettera 4 (1972) as Programm (with descending ‘J’ and narrow ‘V’, unlike in (digital) Westminster). A 1970 Fürst catalog shows a condensed copy named Braintrust.
Named by Robert Norton of Photoscript. According to Microsoft, Westminster was named “after the bank that helped Photoscript fund the font's production.”
Later passed on to Berthold. Appears in their E1 Fototypes catalog. In 1993, it was licensed to Microsoft and a digital version produced by Eraman, Ltd. and Type Solutions, Inc. was bundled with Windows 98.
