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Published in:
The Navy Comes to Borehamwood Read chapter Read first chapter

2011 | OriginalPaper | Chapter

3. The Secret Digit

Author : Emeritus Professor Simon Lavington

Published in: Moving Targets

Publisher: Springer London

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Abstract

We describe three rather special Borehamwood digital computers in this chapter. Two of them were designed to perform tasks for the UK’s intelligence services, via GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters). The third went to a joint British–Australian long-range missile facility in Australia, to be used in analysing data from the Woomera test range. The time frame of all three computers, from conception to delivery, covers the period 1949–1956. Internally to the Borehamwood Research Laboratory of Elliott Brothers (London) Ltd., the projects were identified by sequence numbers in the company’s list of orders.

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Literature
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Lavington S (April/June 2006) In the footsteps of Colossus; a description of Oedipus. IEEE Ann Hist Comput 28(2):44–55. Invaluable help with the preparation of this paper was given to the author by Tony R (especially in a letter to Simon Lavington dated 16 July 2002) and by Peter Freeman (especially in a letter to Simon Lavington dated 2 Dec 2002)
2.
Bunt JP. The 153 computer. Volume 1. Borehamwood Internal report 371(A), dated 1 Jan 1956. The diagrams are bound separately as Volume 2, report 371(B), also dated 1 Jan 1956. Volume 3, report 371(C) of the same date, contains test programs. Some amendments to report 371 were dated 30 Sept 1957. A related report by John Bunt is entitled: 153 computer maintenance handbook. Borehamwood Internal report 386, dated 1 Oct 1955
3.
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Anon (2001) Unsigned one-page typed note, attached to a letter dated 2 Oct 2001 from Gill Bennett, Chief Historian, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to Simon Lavington. It is assumed that the source of the attached note was GCHQ
5.
John Bunt (2002) The history of the 153. Two-page typed manuscript, sent to Simon Lavington with an accompanying letter dated 13 May 2002
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HG (Harry) Carpenter (2000–2002) Notes taken by Simon Lavington of nine lengthy ­telephone conversations with Harry Carpenter, during the period 16 May 2000–9 Dec 2002. Harry was unwilling to commit his historical anecdotes to paper but was more than happy to talk. Part way through these exchanges, in November 2001, Harry obtained clearance under the provisions of the Official Secrets Act to reveal certain details about his hardware design activities at Borehamwood
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Peter Goddard (2008) E-mail to Simon Lavington, dated 10 Mar 2008
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SLH Clarke (2009) E-mail to Simon Lavington, dated 14 Oct 2009
30.
SLH Clarke (2001) conversation with Simon Lavington on 10 July 2001
31.
Don Fenna (July 2004 and May 2006) communication with David Pentecost. Don Fenna worked at WRE from 1956 to 1969 and later became Emeritus Professor of Applied Science in Medicine at the University of Alberta, Canada. See the Computer Conservation Society’s Our Computer Heritage website: http://​www.​ourcomputerherit​age.​org/​wp/​ for more WREDAC comments compiled by David Pentecost
32.
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Paul Rayner (2008) E-mail correspondence with Simon Lavington, Aug/Sept 2008
34.
Crawley HJ (1955) Progress on the 402 at Elliott Brothers. Two-page typed NRDC internal memo dated 15 Feb 1955, addressed to Mr Hennessey and Lord Halsbury. Describes a visit made by Crawley to Borehamwood on 8 Feb (available at the National Archive for the History of Computers, NAHC file reference NRDC/86/13/8)
Metadata
Title
The Secret Digit
Author
Emeritus Professor Simon Lavington
Copyright Year
2011
Publisher
Springer London
Book
Moving Targets

Print ISBN: 978-1-84882-932-9

Electronic ISBN: 978-1-84882-933-6

Copyright Year: 2011

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-84882-933-6_3

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