Alan Turing and his contemporaries pdf

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alan Turing and  

hiS conTemporarieS

Building the world’s first computers

Simon Lavington (Editor)

alan 

Turing

 and hi

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 con

Temporarie

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Simon La

vington (Editor)

alan Turing and hiS conTemporarieS

Building the world’s first computers

Simon Lavington (Editor)

Secret wartime projects in code-breaking, radar and 

ballistics produced a wealth of ideas and technologies 

that kick-started the development of digital computers.  

By 1955 computers produced by companies such as 

Ferranti, English Electric, Elliott Brothers and the British 

Tabulating Machine Co. had begun to appear in the 

market-place. The Information Age was dawning and 

Alan Turing and his contemporaries held centre stage. 

Their influence is still discernible deep down within 

today’s hardware and software. This is a tribute not only 

to stars such as Tom Kilburn, Alan Turing and Maurice 

Wilkes but to the many other scientists and engineers 

who made significant contributions to early computing 

during the period 1945 – 1955.

•  Fascinating story told by top historians

•  Tales of electronic wizardry and notable British firsts

•  Marks the centenary of Alan Turing’s birth

•  How Alan Turing turned his fertile mind to many

subjects during his tragically short life

About the Authors

Professor Simon Lavington is the Computer Conservation 

Society’s digital Archivist. Chris Burton is one of the 

world’s leading restorers of historic computers. Professor 

Martin Campbell-Kelly is the UK’s foremost computer 

historian. Dr Roger Johnson is a past president of BCS, 

The Chartered Institute for IT. All are committee members 

of the Computer Conservation Society.

Popular Science

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There can be no doubt 

that Alan Turing was a 

brilliant man who changed 

the course of history in 

countless ways, but there 

were many other brilliant 

minds involved in bringing 

computer science to life 

and ultimately into our 

homes. This fascinating 

book reminds us of the 

importance of their 

contribution. A fitting 

tribute to those who gave 

the world so much.

Kate Russell, technology reporter 

for BBC Click

Fantastic! This is an 

excellent romp through 

Britain’s early computer 

history, placing Alan 

Turing’s work in a broader 

context and introducing 

the reader to some of the 

significant machines and 

personalities that created 

our digital world.

Dr Tilly Blyth, Curator of Computing 

and Information, Science Museum

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ALAN TURING AND HIS 

CONTEMPORARIES

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BCS THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE FOR IT

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Further Information

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First Floor, Block D,

North Star House, North Star Avenue,

Swindon, SN2 1FA, United Kingdom.

T [phone]

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www.bcs.org/contactus

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ALAN TURING AND HIS 

CONTEMPORARIES

Building the world’s first computers

Simon Lavington (editor)

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