Digital audio of a recorded interview with Peter Byford, who worked as a programmer on LEO III/1 before moving to work for the AA. 

Interviewer: Vince Bodsworth
Date of interview: 22nd August 2017
Length of recording: 1h02m48s
Format: 1 original .mp3 recording and 2 original .wav recordings 456.04MB (transferred to .mov video for presentation on YouTube 250.76MB)
Copyright in recording content: Peter Byford and LEO Computers Society

Abstract: Peter had a long career in computing starting when he left Grammar School aged just 17 and following an advertisement applied to LEO Computers Limited. Passing the aptitude test as the sole non-graduate applicant at that time, he was trained as a programmer to work on the LEOIII/1 Hartree Service Bureau. He worked on a number of applications, rising in seniority, but left LEO in 1965 to join the AA as a programmer and data analyst. His subsequent career, primarily in Data Management included a 27 year stint at Eastern Gas, followed by the software contractor and consultant John Hoskins, and later as an independent contractor/consultant. Despite his relatively short stint at LEO at the beginning of his career, it is to his LEO roots he returned on retirement. After attending an early LEO reunion he took over the chair of the LEO Computers Society, and oversaw its growth to over 800 members (May 2018), and continues to fill that role with undiminished enthusiasm.

Transcript to be added.

Provenance :
Recording made by the LEO Computers Society as part of their ongoing oral history project.

Copyright
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