Project Blog
Virtual LEO I - Exciting News!
8th September 2023 Earlier this year we installed our Virtual LEO I exhibit in our main gallery so it could be used by our visitors, especially our visiting school groups. 
Approaching the end...
8th April 2023 I'm writing this at Easter 2023, three years after starting the delivery phase of our LEO project. 
"Does anyone recognise this?"
8th January 2023 2023 started off with a query that led to an interesting bit of detective work by a number of our colleagues and partners on the project! 
LEO Catalogue Update: 29th May 2022
29th May 2022 Since our previous update, the following material has now been scanned, catalogued and uploaded: David Caminer Papers – LEO Jobs More material from David Caminer’s papers has been catal... 
Films, photos and virtual LEOs: a project update
25th May 2022 Time is marching on and we’re now in the final year of our lottery-funded project, Swiss Rolls, Tea and the Electronic Office! 
The Operator's Console
31st January 2022 Recently we have been looking at the LEO I Operator's Console and what evidence exists to show us what it looked like and how it was used. 
New Film: The Story of LEO
10th January 2022 To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the first successful LEO I job run on 30th November 2021, we are pleased to have launched a new film about LEO via YouTube premiere. 
LEO Catalogue Update: 6th December 2021
6th December 2021 Since our previous update there has been a development in regards to the LEO project. 
30th November 1951 - a momentous day!
16th November 2021 It was in November 1951 that the ‘electronic calculator’ that Lyons had been developing for some time actually started its working career after months of trials and experimental runs. 
The mystery of the menu
25th October 2021 In 1951 LEO staff enjoyed a celebratory dinner at the Trocadero restaurant in London. 
Searching the sources
20th October 2021 Building the Virtual version of the LEO I installation at Cadby Hall has involved a lot of research, particularly with photographs and analysing minute detail on old grainy black and white photographs. 
LEO Catalogue Update: 26th July 2021
26th July 2021 Since our previous update, the following material has now been scanned, catalogued and uploaded: Ernest Lenaerts papers The LEO project is very fortunate to have gathered material relating to another... 
LEO Catalogue Update: 22nd June 2021
22nd June 2021 Since our previous update, the following material has been scanned, catalogued and uploaded: David Caminer papers - Lecture notes series I have continued work on the papers of LEO programming pioneer... 
Making the digital in an analogue world
9th June 2021 In the last VR-related blog post, I pointed to the LEO I half adder that is in store at the Birmingham Museum. 
LEO Catalogue Update: 8th April 2021
8th April 2021 Since our previous update, the following material has been scanned, catalogued and uploaded: David Caminer papers I have continued work on the papers of LEO programming pioneer David Tresman Caminer. 
LEO Women on International Women's Day 2021
5th March 2021 As we approach International Women's Day (IWD) on 8th March 2021, we are looking forward to celebrating LEO's history in a very modern way using a technology that is helping us all through the current global pandemic - via Zoom (video conferencing). 
LEO Catalogue Update: 24th February 2021
24th February 2021 Since the previous update, the following material has been scanned, catalogued and uploaded: David Caminer papers I have been focussing on the significant collection of material gathered by LEO progra... 
2021: An Anniversary Year
12th February 2021 This year promises to be chock-full of anniversaries of landmark events in LEO's history. 
LEO Catalogue Update: 27th January 2021
28th January 2021 Since the previous update, the following has been scanned, catalogued and uploaded: From Peter Bird's Research Collection: LEO Computers Ltd, Company Secretary's Papers, part 2 As reported in November... 
LEO Catalogue Update: 27th November 2020
27th November 2020 Since our previous update, we have uploaded the following: BBC Newsreel Footage of LEO I, 16th Feb 1954 We've been very excited to find that in February 1954, the BBC made a short film of LEO I in ope... 
Who wants half an adder?
25th November 2020 Deep inside the LEO 1 computer (and the one you are using to read this), there are electronic units called a 'half-adder'. 
LEO Catalogue Update: 22nd October 2020
22nd October 2020 In an interesting few weeks for the museum, we're feeling very fortunate to be able to continue with our LEO project relatively unscathed! 
LEO Catalogue Update: 18th September 2020
18th September 2020 The LEO Computers Society (LCS) have tirelessly collected photographic evidence from throughout the life of the LEO computer, and we are currently focussed on sorting and cataloguing the photos they have gathered from many different sources. 
A room with a view
16th September 2020 The J.Lyons LEO 1 computer was constructed and operated on the second floor of the WX Block at Cadby Hall, Hammersmith, London. The 'calculator room' was roughly 2,500 sq feet and had large sash win... 
LEO Catalogue Update: 4th September 2020
4th September 2020 In this phase of the cataloguing, we are focussing on the extensive photo collection of Peter Bird. 
LEO Catalogue Update: 21st August 2020
21st August 2020 In this phase of the cataloguing, we are focussing on the extensive photo collection of Peter Bird. 
LEO I: The colour of the blues
16th August 2020 The colour of the blues: This is the fourth in a series of blogs about the use of the set of photographs of LEO I that will ultimately enable us to rebuild a virtual LEO. 
LEO I: A story in photographs
8th August 2020 Passing the 100: This is the third in a series of four blogs about the use of the set of photographs of LEO I that will ultimately enable us to rebuild a virtual LEO. 
LEO Catalogue Update: Photographs, 7th August 2020
7th August 2020 Following a hiatus for some internal processing, timetable development, admin and annual leave (! 
LEO I: A story in photographs
29th July 2020 A dating game: This is the second in a series of four blogs about the use of the set of photographs of LEO I that will ultimately enable us to rebuild a virtual LEO. 
LEO I: A story in photographs
22nd July 2020 First encounters: This is the first in a series of four blogs about the use of the set of photographs of LEO I that will ultimately enable us to rebuild a virtual LEO. 
The LEOmatic office - an enigma
18th June 2020 We recently digitised a LEO report from 1958 with an interesting name - but as historians it has left us with more questions than answers! 
LEO Catalogue Update, 12th June 2020
12th June 2020 The following LEO Computers Society archive files have been now been catalogued, digitised (where appropriate) and uploaded to the LEO pages here on the CCH website over the past fortnight. 
LEO Catalogue Update, 29th May 2020
15th May 2020 The following LEO Computers Society archive files have been now been catalogued, digitised and uploaded to the LEO pages here on the CCH website over the past fortnight. 
LEO Catalogue Update, 15th May 2020
15th May 2020 The following LEO Computers Society archive files have been now been catalogued, digitised and uploaded to the LEO pages here on the CCH website over the past fortnight. 
LEO Catalogue Update, 1st May 2020
1st May 2020 The following LEO Computers Society archive files have been now been catalogued, digitised and uploaded to the LEO pages here on the CCH website over the past fortnight. 
LEO Catalogue Update, 17th April 2020
17th April 2020 The following LEO Computers Society archive files have been now been catalogued, digitised and uploaded to the LEO pages here on the CCH website over the past fortnight. 
LEO Catalogue Update, 3rd April 2020
3rd April 2020 The following LEO Computers Society archive files have been now been catalogued, digitised and uploaded to the LEO pages here on the CCH website. 
GLAM Digital Lunch
28th February 2020 Today we were pleased to present a lightning talk on the LEO project at the Cambridge University library. 
"Look Out You Typists!"
15th January 2020 As a growing number of companies investigated automation in the workplace, there was an understandable degree of uncertainty among staff - fears that people would be replaced by 'robots' were gleeful... 
BBC Witness History LEO broadcast
28th November 2019 Mike Lanchin from the BBC has made a wonderful short film about LEO, using footage and images from the LEO Society archive at CCH and including a new interview with Mary Coombs. 
Virtual LEO makes history again
8th November 2019 Today we were incredibly honoured to have three people who worked on LEO I with us at CCH; Ray Shaw, Frank Land and Alan Jacobs. 
Mary Coombs - world's first female business programmer
10th October 2019 Today, on Ada Lovelace Day, we celebrated the many and varied contributions women have made to computing history and the roles they play now in today's computing industry; Mary Coombs was one of the women featured. 
Tea, Cake & Computers was a success!
10th August 2019 Today we gathered together LEO enthusiasts at CCH for a day of talks on Lyons & Co and their LEO computer. 
History in the Making!
9th August 2019 Today we watched history being made when LEO I and II engineer Ray Ivatt and Chair of the LEO Computers Society (LCS), Peter Byford, donned an Oculus Rift headset to see our prototype virtual reality LEO I. 
Museum of Cambridge Visit
2nd August 2019 A visit to the Museum of Cambridge has yielded some interesting photographs of the Lyons teashop that used to be on Petty Cury. 
LEO display now a permanent fixture
1st July 2019 Our permanent display on the history and development of LEO is now happily installed in the main gallery at the Centre for Computing History. 
Peter Bird's photographs: LEO Gremlin
5th June 2019 One of the most substantial parts of the archive is the material gathered by LEO historian, Peter Bird, in preparation for his book LEO - The First Business Computer (Wokingham: Hasler, 1994). 
Archive shelving is IN
11th April 2019 Thanks to the ingenuity, brute force and iron will of our dedicated volunteers, Keith and Dan, the LEO archive shelving is now properly installed and ready to receive boxes. 
LEO Computers Society Reunion
7th April 2019 Members of the LEO project team at CCH were delighted to attend the 2019 LEO Computers Society (LCS) Reunion at the Victory Services Club in London at the weekend. 
Volunteer roles
8th March 2019 If you would like to be involved in the LEO project, we have many volunteer opportunities available. 
Making the digital in analogue world
Unknown In the last blog I pointed to the LEO I half adder that is in store at the Birmingham Museum. 
Making the digital in analogue world
Unknown In the last blog I pointed to the LEO I half adder that is in store at the Birmingham Museum. |
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