LEO I: Lyons Electronic Office

A simple, interactive application to help understand and explore over 100 photographs of LEO I taken inside the calculator room at Cadby Hall during the 1950s.

Start Exploring

In recognition of the first Lyons LEO computer installed at Cadby Hall, West London in the 1950s, the LEOvr project will use evidence in the form of photographs, plans, written and verbal accounts, to build a 'LEO 1 virtual installation', during 2020/21. Upon completion, the LEOvr PC application will be based at CCH with a tablet version released shortly after.

The LEO archive at The Centre for Computing History has identified over 100 photographs that were taken from 1950 to 1965 inside the calculator room at Lyons’ Cadby Hall HQ, which hosted the first LEO computer. The black and white photographs were taken from many angles and at different times. Each is providing some evidence to help build the story of LEO 1; its construction, development and operation.

The photographs, together with their position and direction, have been plotted onto a plan of the calculator room. By clicking on any of the ‘pins’, you can explore the photographs yourself. They are proving to be an invaluable aid to building up a clear picture of the history made in that room and the story of an installation that would change the world.