C1379/11/01

Purpose of recording: Interviewed for the 'Made in Britain' strand of An Oral History of British Science.

Documentation: summary and transcript (to follow)

Summary:

• Track 1 [1:44:40] [Session 1: February 26 2010] Born March 1928, Tonteg, South Wales. Remarks on university degrees and subsequent job. Description of Tonteg, Taff Valley, power station, trading estate, playing on the Monkey Tump, the remains of a motte and bailey castle. Comments on childhood [06:55] Mentions father being a handicraft master at a school in Beddau. Remarks on limited amenities in Tonteg, going to school in Church Village. Remarks on Mother: treasurer at Wesleyan Chapel, where father was Sunday school master. Remarks on parents being active in chapel, maternal grandfather conducted choir and was a lay preacher, going to church once a day and Sunday School, opinions on chapel goers, not being particularly religious. [11:20] Remarks on father, William Kenfig Edwards: handicraft teacher, taught DE woodwork; photographer; wireless enthusiast; built furniture and toys. Named after paternal grandfather, a miner who lived in Cwmaman, gave DE sovereigns at Christmas, pipe smoker who died at 85. Remarks on father's death at 62. [15:30] Remarks on decline of mining in South Wales. Comments on parents hopes for him to go to university, father and grandfather helping him with homework, helpful biology teacher aunt. Remarks on teachers in family, teaching himself, teacher daughter who worked in computer industry and moved to the USA. [20:30] Remarks on aunt, took him on holidays. Remarks on holidays in Pembroke and Gower, visiting mother's sister who was married to a Wesleyan minister. Stories about trip to Paris with Aunt. [25:30] Remarks on trip to London with Aunt, watching Disney films and visiting Lyons tea shop. Comments on school: enjoyed mathematics, influenced by grandfather; attended Pontypridd Grammar School. Remarks on Pontypridd. Remarks on notable Pontypridd residents, such as Tom Jones. [29:05] Comments on school: boys school, but girls in sixth form; desks modified to accommodate women teachers as a result of the war; concentrating on sciences, especially chemistry; French master making him stand on the desk for getting low marks; discipline in school; learning French useful later on. [32:10] Remarks on Chemistry being favourite subject because of practical element, winning a Glamorgan county scholarship to do chemical engineering at Imperial College, but winning a better funded State Science bursary to do physics at Manchester instead and using the county scholarship to do his MSc. [35:20] Remarks on reasons for enjoying maths and physics at school, enjoying building things with Meccano and building radio sets. Remarks on building a crystal radio, reading 'Wireless World', father's help. [38:00] Remarks on father: motivated and helpful to DE, never got into debt, lived in council house rather than getting a mortgage, helped with DE with DIY on his house, built radios. [42:10] Comments on developing knowledge of electronics and valves, technicalities of building a radio in 1930s compared to current practice. [47:10] Remarks on reading as a child: detective stories, comics such as 'The Wizard'; story about getting a TB infection aged 7; boys' stories. Remarks on news stories about heavy water stories in war suggesting later career in nuclear energy via chemical engineering. Remarks on physicists at Manchester: Patrick Blackett [PB], Bernard Lovell, Samuel Tolansky [ST], Genossi[?], foreign and infirm lecturers.
• Track 1 [cont. from 53:20] Remarks on PB's lecturing style. Comments on secondary school teachers and primary school: large classes, problems, fights, walking a mile to school, bus trips to Beddau school for woodwork, school trip to Bristol Zoo, friends at school and in neighbourhood. [59:10] Remarks about visiting friend opposite to play cards or roulette, activities his parents frowned on. Remarks on chapel and morals, a story about missing a piano lesson, spending pocket money on sweets. Comments on neighbours, local power station, grammar school attendance being common amongst friends [1:03:30] Remarks on playing pitch and toss at the railway station on the journey to school, arriving at school late to avoid assembly, local railways used to store American engines during the war. Description of childhood house, front room only used for best occasions, no central heating, outside toilet. Remarks on household technologies: clothes washer, electric cooker, living in the kitchen whilst mother was on holiday, vacuum cleaner, one room coal heated. [1:08:30] Story about grandfather still using candles even after electricity installation. Remarks on mother: interested in Chapel, family, household, did his laundry by post at university, singer. [1:12:15] Comments on hobbies: modelling planes, Meccano, interest in clocks. Comments about listening to the radio. Remarks on taking the 'Daily Chronicle' and 'Radio Times'. [1:16:25] Discussion of politics: labour area and upbringing; father's negative view of underhand practices and nepotism; DE's interview with FCW Williams [FCW] being purely about merit; working class area where well educated people didn't leave to university; politics in community; opinion of current political situation; political ethos of labour in 1930s to fight for people's rights; story about trouble with father's pension; today's debt culture compared to his father's beliefs. [1:26:50] Remarks on: aunt leaving Wales to a job in Horwich after depression; feeling family being quite well off; a car they didn't use often, few other cars except for a friend's uncle's sports car. Comments on making boggies as children to ride down hill. [1:30:45] Comments on Welsh: parents speaking Welsh, Welsh in schools, subject choices at schools, not speaking Welsh himself. Comments on 11plus, important, description of the career misfortunes of a friend who didn't pass 11plus, with reference to importance of looking after people's rights. [1:39:30] Remarks on wartime: being in ATC in school, learning to glide, father air raid warden, rarely bombed but could see glow of fires in Cardiff, playing with unexploded incendiary bombs, parachute mines, not being allowed to attend VE day and VJ day celebrations. [1:43:20] Remarks on never going to pub until he started at Manchester. Remarks on father's support.
• Track 2 [1:30:31] Tennage years, little social activity due to war, Saturday night hop at local club, going to university at 17. Remarks on starting University: 1945 RAG day at Manchester University; arriving in Manchester; accommodation at St Anselm's hall, rationing, playing rugby and table tennis, meeting wife playing table tennis. Remarks on wife: evacuated to Canada from Preston. Remarks on girlfriend and later wife Betty, three children, died aged 50, met playing table tennis, dates. [06:55] Remarks on state science bursary, parents support. Remarks on social life at university: formal dinners, men only hall, societies, sport, drama. Remarks on playing soccer at Tonteg, rugby in secondary school, rugby for St Anselm's, University and Broughton Park teams : difference between rugby league and union; university RAG day with floats and cheap beer. [12:00] Remarks on YHA group holidays walking and cycling in vacations, people from overseas, ex-service mature students. Description of busy university days filled with lectures and laboratory sessions. Remarks on extra responsibility of comprehensive third year project. Story about almost being conscripted due to a paperwork oversight, research degree exempting him from national service, friend who was sent to mines as a Bevin Boy. [18:00] Description of lectures. Remarks on analogue computing laboratory in basement. Remarks on laboratory sessions in chemistry, history lectures by Professor Namier, handouts, books, being taught by ST in physics. Comments on laboratory sessions, building electrical circuits in classes. [24:30] Remarks on instruments used in laboratory sessions in optics and magnetics. Comments on lecturers: story about ST, difficulties copying down information from blackboard and connecting lectures together. [27:45] Comments about being lectured by FCW, lecturing style, inspiring nature of lectures, use of apparatus in lectures, cathode ray tube display, steep learning curve compared to other lessons. [32:20] Remarks on selecting electronics as an option in 3rd year, importance of FCW's classes to his career, FCW's contributions to American electronics publications. Comments on FCW's approach to electronics: emphasis on design, electronic circuitry style using voltage definition, contemporary low status of digital electronics. [37:50] Comparison of digital and analogue electronics. Comments on FCW and Tom Kilburn [TK] not discussing much of the their work at TRE and limited knowledge of work at Bletchley Park, with a story about TK flying over Canada testing equipment. Remarks on FCW circuitry combining analogue and digital techniques, and fancifully named Phantastron and Sanatron. [44:40] Remarks on FCW: gave DE a lift to 1949 Cambridge conference; wide interests, worked on jet engines and induction machines with Eric Laithwaite [EL], devised car gearbox, asked DE to build him a car fuel consumption counter; astute at recruiting people, with story about an interview; generous in giving credit, exemplified by later statements to about Alan Turing [AT] and Max Newman [MN]; story about FCW setting fire to laboratory with a jet engine experiment. [51:00] Comments on knowing little about analogue computing at Manchester at first but later researching history of differential analyser and learning about involvement of Vannevar Bush, Douglas Hartree and MetroVickers. Remarks on a paper on analogue computing by FCW and PB and Maurice Wilkes [MW]'s involvement with analogue computing.
• Track 2 [cont. from 55:50] Remarks on first learning about computers when he started as a postgraduate. Remarks on doing badly at physics part of degree but getting a first at electronics and having to have an interview, getting a 2.2 overall, doing well in first and second year examinations but not working hard enough on physics in third year. [58:40] Story about a meeting with FCW and Dr Braddick leading to DE helping to fix a digital clock for Jodrell Bank, and lecturing physics students later on. [1:02:55] Remarks on plans after degree, not wanting to do an apprenticeship, wanting to do MSc to correct poor undergraduate result, comparison with contemporary Tommy Thomas [TT], reflections on degree grades and opinions on current situation. [1:06:50] Remarks on:parents being pleased he'd gone to university, deciding to return to do research, using Glamorgan scholarship to do MSc, being appointed as a lecturer. Description of first day in the department, learning about computers from TK and reading his thesis. Remarks on learning about Babbage and the Moore School, limited information available on computers, TT's work on magnetic storage. [1:11:40] Remarks on TT: accommodated in Hulme Hall after catching dysentery, played rugby, travelled from South Wales with DE, interested in electronics, good friends with DE, went motorcycling together. Comments on importance of memory in computer development in late 1940s, challenges of CRT memory, TK's interest in building a small computer to test memory. [1:16:10] Remarks on activity when DE started: influence of Ferranti, expanding Baby computer, TK taking a holiday in August. Comments on first sight of Manchester Baby computer and thinking it looked a mess, comparison with later tidier Mercury computer. [1:19:45] Description of Baby computer and its components, with remarks on peeping at the CRT store's contents, heat of computer room and power arrangements. [1:24:50] Comments on: computing position in electrotechnic department, CRT improvement work, CRT research in response to a dispute with Canadian named Katz, orientation of department's work, such as servo mechanisms, to computer project, FCW's predecessor Willis Jackson moving to Imperial with his research team, facilities in electrotechnics. [1:29:15] Remarks on colleagues who were working on computing: Alec Robinson [AR], working on multiplier; colleague working on CRT amplifier; Geoff Tootill [GT] working with TK on Baby; Collum Litting, working on solid state materials; Cliff West, working on drum servo-mechanism; Mr Gerard and Joe Higham. Comments on lab technicians Remarks on relationship of electrotechnics and physics departments. [1:34:00] Remarks on: early users of computers in optics and crystallography, awareness of computers potential in business, lack of support for computing in some circles, with reference to later Atlas computer.
• Track 3 [1:39:43] [Session 2: March 5 2010] Comments on first duties as a research student: mending power supply; installing equipment designed by TK and GT; improving CRT store as a result of discussions, sometimes over lunch. Comments on problems and advantages of CRT memory, with comparison of random access CRT and serial delay line and AT's technique of optimum programming. [07:15] Comments on importance of CRT for computers. Remarks on programming: using programs to test hardware, receiving no training in programming, importance of mathematics at the time, subroutines. [10:20] Description of programming Manchester computer: errors, adding sound, watching CRT monitor, programming around errors in CRT store. [15:40] Remarks on errors in CRT stores, cooperation of Mr Allard of GEC in supplying CRTs, IBM's problem with pollen on their CRTs. Comments on relation between Manchester and GEC teams. [20:30] Remarks on other components, such as the EF50, EF55, EA50, initially coming from TRE. Remarks on: early history of CRT; FCW's move to Manchester with TK and Arthur Marsh, who left shortly after to be replaced by GT; state of computer when DE and TT joined the team in September 1948. [25:40] Remarks on early opinions of computing: exciting, useful to users. Comments on computer team at Manchester: FCW, TK, GT, TT, AR and DE. Remarks on being responsible for improvements to CRT, as published in a 1953 paper. [short pause] Comments on performing experiments to resolve a dispute with Canadian named Katz over working of CRT. [31:30] Remarks on different types of CRT memory and the Jan Rajchman designed RCA Selectron memory. Remarks on MN: seeing him occasionally, MN's Mersenne prime program. Remarks on excitement of getting first program running. [35:30] Comments on MN's role in early Manchester computing, MN's Royal Society grant, MN deciding to work with FCW's computer. Remarks on later learning more about early days of computing. [39:20] Comments on working with Ferranti, including TT and Ianto Warburton [IW], on the Ferranti Mark 1: Remarks on differences in deadlines, progress reports, visits to factory. [44:20] Comments on users: AT's use of extended prototype, DE and TT staying overnight to ensure his programs ran smoothly; Gordon Black [GB], who worked on optics; official user service only expanding after Ferranti Mark 1 arrived. Further remarks on working with AT to transfer data from drum store, DE providing technical support with the CRT. Remarks on AT: stuttered, mind worked fast, pleasant if you could communicate with him. [49:00] Remarks on MN: senior, distant. Remarks on the two sorts of people interested in computers in early days: engineers interested in digital technology and desperate users with complex problems. Remarks on desperate users: GB, optics, Atomic Energy Agency, Met Office and crystallographers such as Derwood Crookshank from University of Leeds. Remarks on expecting aeronautical engineers to be interested but RAE favouring analogue computers. Further remarks on working with crystallographers. [53:15] Comments on later consulting for Hilger and Watts company, improving Ferranti crystallography equipment by using a DEC minicomputer to control instrument, with favourable response from the SRC and winning a Queen's Award for technical innovation. Remarks on working of instrument's checking facilities.
• Track 3 [cont. from 1:00:25] Comments on reliability of early computers; problems with power supply and CRT, preventive maintenance; fixed point arithmetic causing lost digits, as suffered by GB, solved by floating point arithmetic.[1:04:20] Remarks on programming difficulties. Remarks on: working with technicians in early days, helping other research students, cut and pasting his thesis together on paper for typing by secretary, occasionally dealing with Bursar on financial matters. Remarks on lab technicians Arnold Vaughan and another Arnold and workshop technicians who helped FCW and TT; research students in other areas, such as Peter Hoffman who moved over to computing. [1:10:10] Further comments on activities of lab technicians and importance of getting on well with them. Remarks on TT: did same courses as DE, applied to FCW for research at same time, travelled to Manchester by same train as DE from Wales. Remarks on working for FCW, urgency of work, anecdote about not switching machine off to solder new components. [15:40] Comments on TK: learning from his thesis while spell checking it, similarities to FCW, anecdote about TK throwing DE in at the deep end when designing magnetic drum transfer equipment, good relationship with FCW, senior PhD student, FCW and TK both trusting people to work once competence proved. [1:19:35] Remarks on GT, anecdote about DE rescuing GT's discarded computer notebook from bin and later presented it to Simon Lavington [SL] to assist in writing history, interested in work but with different interests to TK, left for Ferranti quite quickly. Remarks on AR, background at English Electric, work on multiplier. Remarks on limited knowledge of work of FCW, TK and GT at TRE, except for circuit design and a story about TK working in Canada. [1:25:50] Remarks on GT being excited by work. Remarks on knowledge of MN's work at Bletchley Park. Story about an IEE lecture where DE was questioned about claims of transfer of equipment from Bletchley Park. Remarks on history lectures for the IEE. [1:30:00] Remarks on secrecy of AT's homosexuality. Comments on MN's computing contributions: B-store, programmes on Mersenne primes leading to new instructions, consulted over Mark 1 machine code, MN's own original computer project not getting very far. Remarks on AT's contributions: design of random number generator, though pseudo random numbers proved better; provided teleprinter equipment. [1:35:50] Remarks on learning from TK's project report for TRE, never reading Von Neumann's 'First Draft', slow publishing of journals at the time, limited availability of published articles on computers and Moore School information. Remarks on reading other literature with TT, but deciding that original research was the best option.
• Track 4 [1:20:14] Story about publishing his first paper: contributions by DE, GT and Brian Pollard [BP] of Ferranti brought together by TK, who binned the first draft, leaving DE to tidy up and submit the paper to the IEE on his own initiative. Remarks on IEE: DE needing support of FCW to join, benefits of IEE membership, later chairing committees, thinking that IEE didn't support computing early on. [06:00] Remarks on British Computing Society [BCS], never being a member, giving talks for BCS. Remarks on: activities of IEE North West committee arranging lectures, IEE conferences and library access. [08:30] Remarks on limited interest in computing outside engineers and users, small size of early conferences at Manchester and Cambridge. Remarks on Cambridge conference: driven with TT by FCW, meeting other groups for first time, items of interest. Remarks on minimal knowledge of work at Cambridge and the NPL, later knowing Bill Renwick well. [12:15] Remarks on visits from Americans in naval intelligence and IBM, such as Samuels, who may have been influenced by floating point ideas from Meg computer. Comments on early 1950s: MSc thesis on expanding the Manchester computer, helping Ferranti produce the Mark 1, becoming assistant lecturer, initial thoughts on next computer, getting his PhD in 1954 on Mercury computer, getting married. [17:00] Remarks on: FCW leaving computing after difference of opinion over floating point arithmetic, as needed by users, and his growing interest in transistor; computer team consisting of DE, TK, TT, and research students. Comments on work of research students on development of multipliers. Remarks on team effort of computer team, FCW's idea in the bath, TK management, involvement with Ferranti. [23:15] Comments on Ferranti involvement leading from Meg to Mercury, AR's design of a core store for Mercury. [26:40] Comments on designing Mercury, improvements over previous designs, development of faster circuits, use of electrical delay lines built in house, floating point instructions, discussions over time. [33:20] Comments on designing circuits: able to design most circuits on back of envelope; complications of powering parallel circuits; architectural compared to engineering problems; incremental design improvements. [37:25] Comments on inauguration ceremonies for new computers with dignitaries and journalists. Comments on building computers bit by bit, with reference to later MU6 computer, testing units in the process. Remarks on laboratory facilities available: technicians, mechanical workshop, Ferranti built improved chassis designed by TT and DE.
• Track 4 [cont. from 42:00] Remarks on Meg completion and move to new building in Dover Street, differences of wiring of Meg and Mark 1, development line from prototype computer to Mark 1, scrapping of expanded prototype, layout of computer development rooms. Description of improved facilities at Dover Street, with rooms for Mercury computer development and Mark 1 computer service. Remarks on a BBC TV programme featuring both computers and FCW. [47:40] Comments on development of computer service: AT and Cicely Popplewell's handbook; move to more user friendly service with Tony Brooker [TB]; split of computer development and service under TK; AT's help of more experienced users; FCW's exit from computing. Remarks on early transistors unsuitability for computers, experimental transistor computer build by Dick Grimsdale [DG], later produced by Metro-Vickers. [53:45] Comments on his PhD viva, examined by MW, on same day as TT. Comments on assistant lecturer duties, teaching electronics with TT, heavy marking and examination workload, following FCW's lecturing style, growth of class sizes from his own student days. [1:00:10] Remarks on: changes in university; computing not being taught as a subject at the university until 1965, aside from visiting lecturers,such as from Xerox. Comments on disputes over computing patent arrangements between FCW and university. [1:05:40] Comments on discussions over establishment of computer science department and computing courses, and their comprehensive nature that included hardware and software. Remarks on split from electrical engineering, move to new buildings, later computing building. Comments on design of computer building to accommodate computer service and computer science and Manchester University's scheme to link building by walkways. [1:11:45] Comments on patents, role of NRDC patent agents in taking out patents, deciding whose name goes on a patents, payment and exploitation of patents, arrangements of FCW and TK's CRT patents [short pause] used by IBM and others, changes in NRDC patent arrangements to sell them in job lots, later one-level store patent infringement by ICL.
• Track 5 [44:51] Remarks on nature of department: people getting on well together, but not tending to socialise outside; TK commuting; TT and DE playing rugby together and using the lab facilitates to work on their motorcycles; technicians largely keeping to themselves; secretary known as 'The Fairy'; Christmas parties and parties at TK's; celebration of degrees at pub, sometimes with Ferranti personnel. [04:40] Remarks on relations between staff and students, having lunch together, later eating sandwiches and pies on the job while working on Atlas. Remarks on working long hours on Atlas and as a student. [mic noise] Remarks on getting married in 1953, birth of children in late 1950s, death of father in 1960s. [10:40] Comments on work in 1960s: Atlas; Biomark with Tropical Medicine Institute; magnetic tapes with ICI; X-ray goniometer. Comments on funding of computer development from funds earned by computer service from external user. [15:30] Comments on Ferranti: loaned equipment, had own computer interests such as Pegasus, occasional rivalry between proposals, [mic noise], limited contact with Ferranti when they produced Mercury, progress meetings between Ferranti and University, supply of complete units from Ferranti or Atlas, [20:20] subcontracted work to Plessey, description of meetings with Plessey at the Whitehouse, generosity of hospitality. [23:40] Comments on a 1957 visit to Portugal to give lectures on computing in the UK for the British Council [short pause]. Remarks on 1950s, 1960s and 1970s visits to the USA, Italy, Russia with TK, Sweden, Hong Kong, Switzerland with Keith Bowden [KB], [mic blowing noise] and Paris. [31:00] Remarks on benefits of travel: meeting people, discovering component costs abroad, learning about different techniques. Comments on 1957 visit to the USA and Canada to survey computer development: Toronto University, Ottawa government computing, Canadian insurance company, IBM Poughkeepsie, Bell Labs, MIT, J. Presper Eckert [JPE] and John Mauchly [JM] in Philadelphia. [34:30] Remarks on meeting JPE and JM, being surprised at lingering revolutionary war sentiment in Philadelphia. [mic noise] Comments on earlier patent dispute over CRT between FCW and JPE and JM. Remarks on visit to IBM: huge facility, surprised by lack of communication within company. Remarks on stressful nature of long work trips abroad. [40:20] Comparison of commercial computer production in the UK and USA: limited success in UK due to market size [mic noise] and inability to penetrate American market, faster American machines, Elliot and Ferranti military computing, lack of political support for Atlas computer project.
• Track 6 [01:17:11] [Session 3: March 12 2010] Mentions completing PhD in 1954. Involvement with move of the Mark 1 and Meg computers to a new building on Dover Street, for the computing service and electronics development work, subsequent replacement of Meg by Mercury in 1958 and scrapping of Mark 1. Remarks on thinking about the future, circa 1955, Mercury user feedback on floating point and Professor Flower's remarks on Mercury. [4:30] Detailed technical description of Atlas computer: one level store, the predecessor of virtual memory; fixed store, a random access read only memory for system commands; expanded B-line; red tape instructions; floating point accumulator; improved multiplier; control registers; interrupts and peripherals; tape decks [13:50]Further comments on use of Atlas: communications to Jodrell Bank, Nottingham and Edinburgh Universities, with reference to problems; software and the supervisor program, with reference to work of Tony Brooker and David Howerth; Atlas working practices, computer operators, isolation of users from machine and costings. [20:15] Discussion on time-sharing peripherals, such as x-ray goniometer, rather than user dumb terminals, multiprogramming. Remarks on inauguration of Atlas by Sir John Cockcroft in 1962 and start of computer service in 1963, but with Atlas specific software still in development. Further remarks on inauguration ceremony. [23:55] Remarks on accommodation of Atlas. Comments on early development of Atlas c.1958, MUSE, target of a microsecond per instruction. [25:55] Comments on a report on Atlas from the NRDC's working party on a British national computer: speed, random access memory, peripherals, meetings with Tom Kilburn, small team size, time deadlines, funding, Ferranti, possible cooperation with Royal Radar Establishment at Malvern, project leadership, attitudes of committee. [33:20] Remarks on start of Ferranti invlovement c.1959, with anecdote about meeting Ianto Warburton. Further remarks on NRDC: early patent meetings with F.C. Williams and vice chancellor; expert committee, of which Tom Kilburn was a member. Remarks on F.C. Williams' move away from computing, difference of opinion on hardware floating point. Remarks on Manchester computing team size, overseas research students, including a Czechoslovakian refugee, and work of research students. [39:20] Remarks on Atlas reliability concerns, experience with small transistor computer, point contact transistors and junction transistors. Comments on faster logic circuits, surface barrier transistors, SB240 and 2M501 transistors, drift or graded base transistor, their applications in Atlas, necessity of using cheaper transistors. [44:10] Remarks on parallel addition and the use of surface barrier transistors in high speed operations and patenting of the fast carry technique in late 1950s. Further remarks on choice of cheaper transistors, power considerations, use of coaxial cables to transmit signals. [49:50] Remarks on quest for speed in Atlas: parallel operation, faster circuits, discussion with component manufacturers, smaller and faster memory cores, transistors [53:05] Comments on running partially fluxed memory cores. Remarks on beginning of Ferranti involvement, change of name to Atlas. Short anecdote about almost naming the machine BISON - Built In Spite Of NRDC. Further comments on support from Ferranti, sub-contraction to Plessey, who made surface barrier transistors on licence from Philco, manufacture of Atlas memory, high speed interfaces. [58:45] Further remarks on experiments on core storage and working with industry. Remarks on working with printed circuit boards, initially supplied by Ferranti, later made in department. Description of partial flux experiments on core storage. Short story about accident that destroyed a rack of expensive transistors. [1:04:20] Further remarks on hazards. Remarks on time pressures, construction of adders, competition with other groups. [1:06:15] Comments on feedback from users, user transition from Mark 1 to Mercury. Comments on Atlas user service, computer service staff, later change to terminals on other machines. [1:09:45] Remarks on changes in computer service staff skills, using Atlas, engage and disengage buttons and interrupts. Remarks on computer users, computer supervisor. [1:13:40] Discussion of interaction with software developers during the Atlas development, including Tony Brooker, David Howerth, Derek Morris [DM] and Bruce Paine.
• Track 7 [57:38] Comments on design and manufacture of random access read only memory. [03:45] Comments on differences of opinion on memory with visiting NRDC committee. Remarks on NRDC committee, including Cooke Yarborough from Harwell and Maurice Wilkes, and their lack of attention to practical economic concerns. Remarks on TK's opinion. Remarks of possibilities for compromise and Atlas being based on available technology. [09:10] Comments on Ferranti's involvement with Muse from 1959, with reference to Sir Vincent Ferranti, Sir Basil Ferranti and Tom Kilburn. Remarks on renaming of Muse as Atlas and desire to see university work implemented. [13:00] Comments on experimental work on single level store, problems with drum memory, trips to STC to investigate problems with drum read-heads, purchasing drums from United States. [18:30] Remarks on memory capacity. Comments on contacts with Ferranti: Basil and Sebastian Ferranti; Peter Hall, manager of the West Gorton factory; engineers, such as Evan Warburton and Gordon Haley. Mentions a problem with a mis-soldered pin. [21:30] Remarks on proposed uses for Atlas in aeronautics, crystallography, meteorology, and selling a machine to Harwell for use in atomic energy. Remarks on commercial prospects for Atlas being the concern of Ferranti not the university. [24:20] Describes development of Atlas, with reference to its asynchronous operation and portable test apparatus. Short story about fixing a problem with the B-memory detected by a crystallographer [30:10] Story about solving a problem with Atlas's complicated power supply. [33:30] Comments about origins of one level store, with reference to users, Tony Brooker, page files and learning program. [39:30] Short anecdote about neighbours not believing he worked for the University due to his working overnight shifts. Further comments about working overnight and working hours over Atlas period. [42:10] Remarks on other duties during the Atlas period: lecturing, tutorials, running electronics laboratory. Further comments on running electronics laboratory. Comments on balance of daily activities with research and development, with reference to departmental management of research and teaching staff. [48:40] Describes computing's place in electrical engineering department in Dover Street. Remarks on movement of computing and electronic staff, with reference to Eric Laithweight. Remarks on servomechanisms, heavy electronic and vacuum engineering. [51:40] Mentions computer science forming as a separate department in 1964, with first students in 1965. Remarks on needing properly skilled students as a reason for separating computing. Remarks on perceived bias of Manchester toward computer engineering by other universities. Remarks on purpose of Manchester computing course to develop computers, on computer content in electrical engineering course, on start of computing as a degree. Mentions F.C. Williams writing a reference for him for IEE membership and IE status of courses.
• Track 8 [1:23:54] Comments on initial reception of Atlas and lack of enthusiasm from officialdom. Remarks on later wish that Atlas had been built in silicon and on ICL's lack of interest in Atlas and the one level store concept. Mentions feeling that London and Harwell were happy with their Atlas's. [03:50] Comments on Atlas 2, involvement of Ferranti Orion team and University of Cambridge in altering design, changes between Atlas 1 and Atlas 2. Remarks on relationship with Cambridge computer lab. Briefly sums up feelings about small numbers of Atlas machines made. Mentions need to talk to Tony Brooker about use. [07:05] Comments on working with Hilgar and Watts company and crystallographers Owen Mills and Bill Busing to develop an X-ray goniometer for Atlas with funding from the SRC. Remarks on later program with Hilgar and Watts to develop a small computer controlled goniometer, sold abroad and to the SRC, which won a Queen's Award for Technical Innovation. [13:15] Story about Ferranti's later unsuccessful attempt to interface their small computer with the instrument and bankruptcy of Hilgar and Watts. Discussion of pragmatics of cooperating with other groups to succeed, with reference to a disagreement with ICL on MU5. [17:20] Remarks on not noticing much change in working with Ferranti after ICL merger. [18:40] Further comments on formation of computer science, with reference to Tom Kilburn, provision of computer service, status of computing as a science, outgrowing electrical engineering, F.C. Williams, support from university hierarchy. [24:30] Remarks on where he fitted in to new department as senior lecturer, promotion to reader, professor, and ICL professor of computer engineering in 1967. Remarks on bar level chat and ICL's decision to fund a chair, now held by Steve Furber [SF]. [27:10] Comments on the duties of a professor, senate membership, faculty meetings and funding. [30:15] Comments on funding and split of staff between computer science and electrical engineering, with reference to Professor Hoffman and TK's descision to fund some staff out of earnings, and the rapid growth of computer science. [32:30] Remarks about being awarded a chair after unsuccessfully applying to Nottingham and Southampton universities. Remarks on family in 1966 three children: Ann, a teacher in the USA; Huw, a researcher in gas and oil; and Keith, carbon black factory manager; and grandchildren [35:50] Comments on being a father and short story about Huw transferring to a Quaker School, before university at Manchester and Imperial. Remarks on having three more children and reflections on career. Mentions living in Chorlton-cum-Hardy around 1952, before moving to Gatley. Further remarks on life in Chorlton. [40:20] Remarks on move to a larger house in Gatley, close to Manchester Grammar School and Manchester High School and convenient for travel. Remarks on life revolving around work and family, children enjoying swimming at Wythenshawe, Huw getting interested in sub aqua and earning BSc in 1977.
• Track 8 [cont. from 43:30] Remarks on travelling for work to STC in the Midlands, Plessey, IEE, Hilgar and Watts, and the Biomac project, all in London. Remarks on being busy on Atlas in the 1960s. Remarks on the death of his Father. [45:55] Comments on AMREX TM2 tape deck, electronics being designed by Ferranti in Edinburgh, and resolving problems with David Aspinall. Remarks on relationship between central and subsidiary Atlas sites at Edinburgh, Nottingham and Jodrell Bank. [50:00] Remarks on visiting other Atlas sites little, but Tom Kilburn meeting directors of other installations. Mentions improvements to computer user service. Comments on division of Atlas between University and Ferranti. Remarks on the Computer Board, with reference to the Flowers' report. [54:30] Comments on patenting of one level store, with reference to Peter Hall at ICL, NRDC sale of the patents in a job lot to IBM. Comments on ICL's infringement of the patents, legal action and settlement in 1981 after Tom Kilburn retired. [57:35] Remarks on objections to single level store, with reference to memory size, memory and transistor cost. Comments on increased teaching load as student numbers rose and move to Coupland Street. [1:01:40] Remarks on thinking about the next machine and advance of technology and integrated circuits. Comments on the new computer building on Oxford Road. Remarks on beginning a new computer in 1968, with an SRC grant and a computer to aid development. [1:06:00] Remarks on importance of satisfying SRC committee. Comments on ideas for new computer based on Atlas experience, limited use of extra B registers to programmers, increasing importance of high level languages and demands of users. [short discussion about interview] [1:10:55] Comments on the usefulness of casual 'bar level' discussions, sometimes with ICL or Ferranti personnel. [1:14:00] Comments on role of chair of computer engineering: course planning and IEE accreditation, keeping up with developments, such as working with electronic engineering, increased importance of simulation. Remarks on personally endowing a prize for the best computer engineering student. Further remarks on split between computer science and electrical engineering departments, loss of skills, such as those of Peter Hoffman. [1:18:20] Comments on concerns in building of the IT building, opened by Princess Anne in 1988, to combine computing and electrical engineering skills.
• Track 9 [1:22:55] [Session 4: 23 April 2010] Comments on Atlas project, significance, operating system, ICL telling DE and TK they would never use virtual memory again. Further remarks on virtual memory, patenting, economics, lack of further development of Atlas, opposition to building computers. [04:30] Remarks on US computer market and disappointment of low Atlas sales. Comments on technical developments in Atlas and costs of leading the field. Remarks on memory, magnetic recording and architecture. [08:10] Comments on software. Remarks on reliability, controlling instruments. Comments on performance of Atlas and users. [12:40] Comments on Atlas development team from University of Manchester, ICL and Plessey, including Evan Warburton, Yao Chen, Peter Whitehead, George Roylance, David Howarth, Tony Brooker, Tom Kilburn, Gordon Haley, Eric Dunstan, David Aspinall, Dick Grimsdale. [18:15] Remarks on other duties of University staff, team working practices, atmosphere. Short anecdote about next door neighbour not believing he worked for university because he worked shifts. Comments on project management. [22:20] Comments on formation of computer science department, housed in the Whitworth Laboratory, and building of new computer laboratories according to wider university plan for Oxford Road. Remarks on experiments and planning for new computers, meeting between TK and ICL's Arthur Humphreys to discuss Project 52, later the ICL 2900 range. Remarks on SRC grant which provided the computer science department with an ICL 1905E and funds for the next project. [28:40] Comments on aims of MU5 project, use of integrated circuits, improvements in organisational features of machine, use of smaller computers to run peripherals, increased importance of software. [32:30] Further comments on high level languages, such as Fortran, Ada, COBOL, LISP, and Snowball, with remarks on Edsger Dijkstra. Remarks on accommodating high level languages. Comments on attempted convergence exercise to achieve compatibility between MU5 and ICL 2900 range. [37:40] Detailed technical comments on designing MU5 to work with high level languages, operands, buffer store, name base register. [45:50] Comments on ICL1906 integrated circuits, emitter couple logic or MECL, manufactured by Motorola, and assembly into a multilayer circuit board or platter, with interconnections specified on computer or done by hand. Remarks on advantages of ICL platter construction over hand-wiring. [49:30] Comments on development of computer simulation tool for developing systems and their manufacture by Ferranti. Short story about number of platters used in MU5. Remarks on contributions of Hilary Kahn to CAD, which was passed to ICL. [52:30] Comments on designing computers by hand and the advantages of CAD. [55:45] Remarks on Hilary Kahn, recruited from classics in South Africa by Derrick Morris to work on COBOL before working on CAD. Remarks on Linda Warburton's work on MU5 disc system and other women in the computer science department. [59:25] Remarks on relations with ICL during MU5 build, platter production, progress meetings. Remarks on building of MU5, [mic crackle] moving from Dover Street building to new building on Oxford Road, printed circuit manufacturing facility at university, details of MU5 platters, search for higher performance, extra space on components [1:04:05] Comments on mechanical workshop facilities available, as used in printed circuit work. Remarks on Doug Edwards work on software to chart circuit connections on printed circuit boards. Comments on self test and checking facilities, challenges of interfacing components from different manufacturers. [1:11:00] Comments on core memory acceptance tests at Phillips in Amsterdam. Remarks on: growth in computer science, need for qualified research personnel, importance of engineering systems at Manchester, working with industry more due to integrated circuit facilities, software, remarks on dramatic change in computer hardware. [1:16:45] Discussion of computing status as a science, establishment as a separate department, debate as to whether computing was engineering or science. [mic crackle]
• Track 10 [1:29:16] Remarks on feelings about MU5 in department. Description of MU5 as it took shape in specialised air-conditioned room. Remarks on working day, working on other activities while waiting for components. [05:00] Remarks on random access store based on plated wire, designed by Plessey, PH's work on similar technology. Technical comments on Phillips built core memory [mic noise], its use to speed up virtual memory, arrangement of memory pages, development of variable page sizes. [9:45] Technical remarks on drum, developed by Linda Warburton [LW] [mic noise]. Remarks on MU5 team size, work of technical staff, division of team between sections of machine and hardware and software. Remarks on keen feelings toward MU5 as it implemented ideas from within university. Technical comments on storage of instruction for CPU in fast store, arrangements of backing store, ICL1905 and disc store. [15:45] Technical comments on the functioning of the exchange interface and its speed advantages over a bus interface, transfer of data within MU5 and arrangement and timing of system components. [21:20] Comments on aim of MU5 to build a multiple computer system that could take advantage of parallelism to, for example, control peripherals. Remarks on grant to use MU5 for development of a portable operating system, limited compatibility between MU5 and ICL2900. [25:00] Description of concept of parallel architecture and multiprocessor systems. [29:25] Remarks on how technical decisions are made. Comments on team work in universities and working with ICL on Atlas tape drives. [34:20] Comments on personal role on MU5 in charge of engineering, progress meetings, working with Linda Warburton on drum, supporting Hilary Kahn [HK] on computer aided design [CAD], working with Dave Kinniment on processor. [38:30] Remarks on organisation of groups with university staff, graduate students and ICL personnel. Remarks on differences between ICL and university projects. Remarks on being less involved in day to day work on MU5 than on Atlas, greater responsibilities elsewhere. [43:10] Comments on founding computer graphics unit with colleague from crystallography, subsequent history of unit. Remarks on wife's death, wife's parents' deaths, FCW's death in 1977. Remarks on other duties: computer engineering course starting in 1977; sitting on university committees; video lectures unit. [48:25] Discussion of video lectures: arrangements, SL's video lectures, use of videos in lectures, reasons for practice, example of Open University, difficulties with director, fast turnover of computing lecturers, difference of outlooks between lecturers and video producers. [57:30] Comments on wife's illness and treatment, not telling colleagues, sleeping poorly, finding an escape in work, kindness of friends and neighbours in subsequent difficult year. [1:02:00] Comments on meeting future wife, daughter of neighbour, medical student, friend's reaction, being married for last 30 years, having another family, retiring to spend more time with family. [1:05:10] Remarks on outlook on life, with reference to Great Ormond Street television programme, returning to work. Remarks on decision to retire early, based on father and TK's experiences. Comments on reasons for finding job interesting: lecturing teaching you self sufficiency, overseas travel, responsibility financial administration, ability to see plans to fruition, winning government funding, such as for buildings. [1:11:35] Comments on enjoying significant team projects, sometimes lasting years, as well as occasional smaller projects, not being restricted in his activities. Remarks on not getting on with final university vice-chancellor, due to DE controlling computer science's finances. [1:15:00] Comments on funding within university: equipment funding arrangements; staff funding, difficulties of promoting good teaching staff, different publishing ranks of different departments. Comments on good relations with previous vice-chancellors, difficulties with final vice-chancellor. Story about a dispute with the vice-chancellor over funding for student expansion and a new computing building. Further remarks on vice-chancellor and disappearance of daughter. [1:26:35] Story about Arthur Armitage appointing him to the university equipment committee. Comments about appeal of big projects.
• Track 11 [30:30] Remarks on completion of MU5 project with aid of second grant. Comments on strained relationship with ICL over their lack of acknowledgement of the MU5 contribution to the ICL 2900, which displeased the SRC, dispute remarks on the contrary by ICL's Arthur Humphreys, Peter Hall, Geoffrey Cross and John Buckle. Remarks on meeting with Tom Kilburn and deciding to take legal action. [06:15] Remarks on taking over legal case. Remarks on TK's retirement and the death of his wife, dining with him and Hamish Sutherland. Comments on deciding to settle the legal case due to the cost and need to collaborate with industry, leading to talks with ICL at the Midland Hotel. Comments on settlement negotiated with David Dace for Perq workstations, discounts and money. [13:30] Comments on TK's reaction to the deal and later good relationships with ICL and Brian Warboys' appointment as professor. [15:30] Remarks on getting a grant to extend use of MU5 for software development and running benchmarks in ALGOL and Fortran, on which it compared well to the 7600, as written about by Ibbet and Morris. Remarks on MU5 success, lack of attention to the exchange, later importance of parallelism. [20:15] Remarks on similarities between ICL2900 and MU5. Comments on use of MU5 in the department for development purposes rather than providing a computer service, as the computer board provided computers for general use, by people such as Gordon Black, initially at UMIST. Remarks on split of computer science and computer service. Remarks on changes over the MU5 grant, such as the computer on a chip and larger memory. Further remarks on memory, with reference to the Lighthill report and artificial intelligence. [27:00] Remarks on microprocessors. Remarks on aim of MU6 to take advantage of integrated circuit advances to make a small powerful computer for development work.
• Track 12 [1:28:48] [Session 5: April 30th 2010] Comments on being chairman of North West IEE committees on education and training, and electronics: visits to London, arranging lectures in Manchester. Comments on being external examiner, examining difficult PhD thesis. Remarks on PhD supervision, following example of FCW and TK's care to acknowledge contributions. [05:30] Comments on PhD students: Eric Dunstan's high standards and subsequent commercial success in USA. Further remarks on PhD supervision. Remarks on other activities impinging on research. [09:10] Comments on MU6: grant application with Frank Sumner [FS] and DM; disagreement with ICL so done in-house; aim to take advantage of integrated circuit developments to build a small MU5; simplification of design to take advantage of faster components; advantages of integrated circuits; [14:45] changes in instruction buffer design from MU5; incorporation of a microprocessor to set up bi-stables in new computer to enable testing and error checking; changes in operating system. [19:15] Remarks on personal role on project, leaving most detailed work to others. Remarks on MU6 team, role of technicians to do wiring. Remarks on poor relationship with ICL compared to previous projects, discussions with Italian firm over computer production. [22:50] Comments on career in 1980s: government's Alvey initiative to improve academia-industry connections; becoming dean of science, meetings; funding and staff cuts in university; Alvey initiative allowing computer science to acquire several new staff and more students; MSc courses. [29:25] Remarks on Alvey funding requirements, need to attract donations from industry. Remarks on new engineering technology building: collaborative effort between PH and DE, contributions of electrical engineering and computer science; opening of building by Princess Anne in 1988 on 40th anniversary of running of Baby computer; exhibition of Manchester computer history. [33:00] Story about anniversary Festschrift that was not published. Remarks on feelings about Manchester computing history at the time. [37:25] Comments on growing interest in AT, the extent of his and MN's work on Manchester computers. Comments on revisionism amongst historians of Manchester computing compared to SL's history: claims regarding MN's computer project. [43:10] Remarks on historians David Anderson and Jack Copeland [JC]: [short pause] communications with JC over a paper revising the history of Manchester computing. [45:30] Remarks on other department activities in 1980s: blow of DM's transfer to UMIST; John Gurd and Ian Watson's work on parallelism; INMOS transputer chip; EEC Esprit IT programme. [49:00] Remarks on early retirement, satisfaction of staying in same University for career. Reflections on the university over his 40 years there: rationing and smog as an undergraduate; disabled or foreign lecturers when he first started; larger scale of classes; campus development.
• Track 12 [cont. from 53:30] Reflections on the importance of the random access store and integrated circuit [pause for phone] on the development of computers, with reference to digital photography and music. Remarks on a student using Ferranti Mark 1 to type and print a thesis, which DE considered a scandalous waste of money. [58:30] Remarks on: being surprised at lack of acceptance of computers for a long time, initially having a low opinion of microcomputers, surprise at extent of integrated circuit development, not being in a position to predict future developments in computing. [1:03:10] Remarks on career highpoints: Atlas and it's many innovations, but being disappointed at its uptake; MU5 and MU6 significant but nothing compared to integrated circuit improvements. Remarks on gradual change in career as he became more senior with extra responsibilities, need to adapt to changes in technology. [1:08:00] Remarks on taking over as head of department from TK with a year of overlap, similar practice when DE retired and was replaced by John Gurd, duties of head of department. Comments on influential colleagues: TT in early years; PH, contact over several computer technologies; TB's work on computer software; students, such as David Aspinall, Michael Lanigan, Yao Chen; DM over work on Atlas. [1:15:00] Remarks on: personal influence of FCW on him; friendship with TK, with story about TK supporting him with an early career problem; working relationship with TK, with anecdote about TK's style of personnel management. [1:20:15] Remarks on smooth transition when he became head of department. Remarks on opposition to computers, expense of machines, entrenchment of analogue computing compared, needs of desperate users, difficulty of using machines. [1:24:30] Remarks on: rarely talking to general public about computers, except for TV broadcast; importance of demonstrating a use to capture public interest and importance of microprocessor; Apple Mac being his first personal computer in department used for word processing and finance.
• Track 13 [1:03:11] Remarks on Tom Kilburn never owning a personal computer. Comments on impact of personal computer on teaching and structural similarities of personal computer with early machines. [04:15] Comments on change in university environment: continuity of university computer development team and Ferranti being the reason for MU numbered names, meaning that later developments by JG, IW and SF not known as MU numbered computers, [08:30] work of Cliff Jones and formal logic, an RRE machine built using formal logic. [10:40] Comments on changes in research over his career: increased preparation and planning involved, fundamental importance of continuing to check circuits with an oscilloscope or sampling techniques. Comments on changes in emphasis over his career: speed, MU5 design for software development, relationships between engineers and software developers. [17:00] Remarks on changes in engineering mindset as computer builders have become computer users. Story about FCW's concept of having ideas in the bath when doing consultancy work, to avoid problems of ownership of ideas. Comments on retirement in 1988: becoming emeritus professor, honorary fellow, having less involvement with department, continuing to meet with TK and Hamish Sutherland [HS] for lunch, [22:40], Baby 50th anniversary lecture. Remarks on receiving a DSc from University of Glamorgan, medal of honour for early computing work from University of Manchester and award from BCS. Remarks on moves to Preston and Cat forth, his wife's new jobs at the Royal Preston Hospital and Blackpool Hospital, birth of twin daughters in 1993. [25:55] Remarks on deaths of DM, IW, TK, HS, favourite aunt, DG, HK, Brian Napper, Dick Vogle, PH, Harold Hankin, in a short period of time. Comments on children: daughter Helen's university and legal career, twin daughters GCSE's and favourable school reports, family keeping him active. Stories about Helen's preparation for a maths exam, choice of classics at Cambridge University, subsequent legal career, including a job at Great Ormond Street Hospital. [33:15] Comments on relations between his children: twins visiting elder daughter Anne in the US, and son Huw. Comments on being pleased with children all being bright and with their occupations. [37:10] Remarks on importance of a job that you enjoy. [38:00] Comments on his developing DIY skills in his retirement, appeal of practical activity, using a computer to solve problems with his wife's parents arrangements, difficulty dealing with people over the telephone. [42:00] Remarks on building and useful activity being a feature of his life. Remarks on travelling, comparison with his children's travels. Remarks on feelings about awards: University of Glamorgan award being satisfying as his father worked in one of its predecessor organisations; University of Manchester award not reflecting his whole career. [46:00] Comments on: his contribution to development of Manchester computers; Manchester's wide ranging contribution to development of computing more widely, compared to narrower focus of the NPL; value of service provided by Manchester computers to the University, managed by TK before computer board service developed in 1970 under GB. [50:45] Comments on key contributions of Manchester computers: working random access memory; index registers, or B-tubes; backing store; virtual memory. Comments on minor hardware contributions and software contributions with reference to TB's work on Autocode. [53:35] Comments of the treatment of Manchester computer history: not happy with many books; attention given to Bletchley Park and ENIAC; Jack Copeland's work over-stressing connections to Von-Neumann proposals; extent of MN's influence. Remarks on never seeing a copy of 'First Draft of a Report on EDSAC' and only later encountering Moore School reports; [56:45] Remarks on rebuilding of Baby computer: interested in building of Babbage machine; supplied circuit diagrams and occasional input with TK; difficulties using CRT; component supply. [59:30] Comments on interview: interested in social aspect of interview, enjoyed sessions. Remarks on photographs and documents.