ALAN TURINGVery few people did more to help create the modern computer than Alan Turing who died on 7 June 1954, aged 41.During his short life Dr Turing applied his genius to mathematics, computer science and cryptography and excelled in every arena.Unheralded during his lifetime, he invented the Turing machine and the Manchester Mark 1 which are widely held to be prototypes of the modern computer.Haunted by a homosexual scandal, he took his own life in 1954 by eating an apple laced with cyanide.Alan Mathison Turing was born in Paddington, London on 23 June, 1912, the second son of Julius and Ethel Turing – his father was a member of the Indian Civil Service.Dr Turing showed signs of brilliance at an early age – teaching himself to read in three weeks and showing a particular affinity for numbers and puzzles.He was educated at St Michael’s day school and Sherborne School in Dorset where his first day in 1926 coincided with the General Strike – so keen was he to get to school he cycled the full 60 miles from Southampton to get there.In 1931 Dr Turing went to King’s College, Cambridge , where he studied mathematics with increasing distinction, achieving a brilliant degree in 1934 and a fellowship in 1935.Dr Turing turned his attention toward mathematical logic and stunned the scientific world with his 1936 paper - “On Computable Numbers…” – which gave a definition to computing and is regarded as the founding work of computer science.During the Second World War, Dr Turing worked at Bletchley Park applying his mathematical genius to the decrypting of German ciphers. The work he led on deciphering the Enigma code, which included designing the Turing Bombe, played a crucial part in the Allied victory. The Bombe was a machine which enabled the Allies to decode the Nazis' messages to their forces, saving countless lives.After the war, Dr Turing spent two years at the National Physical Laboratory before taking up a post in the computing laboratory at the University of Manchester where he designed the software for the Manchester Mark 1 – one of the first true computers.In 1952, Dr Turing was prosecuted for homosexuality and, as an alternative to prison, was forced to undergo 12 months of “hormone” therapy.Dr Turing was also a talented marathon runner and narrowly missed out on selection for the 1948 Olympic Team.Unknown to many, he continued working for the Government after the War but this came to an end when his homosexuality disqualified him from security clearance, resulting in bitterness on Dr Turing’s part.Although he was awarded an OBE for his wartime work, his achievements at Bletchley went largely unrecognised during his lifetime which compounded the dissatisfaction within a complex, solitary and, at times, gloomy personality.The word “genius” is often applied too readily but very few people can deserve it more than this brilliant, unsung hero.
Keep me informed of updates
