September 1950
The Elliott 152 computer is completed

Elliott Brothers (London) Ltd was an early UK computer company, with research laboratories based at Borehamwood.

The company won an Admiralty contract to develop a radar-based anti-aircraft gunnery control system called MRS5 (Medium Range fire-control system). This work resulted in the Elliot 152 computer. Only one machine was ever produced.

In September 1950, the Elliott 152 computer was completed. It was an early example of a digital real-time computer system. In order to acurately control the anti-aircraft guns, it needed to respond to radar signals and perform calculations very quickly.

The Elliott 152 had a memory system based on the Williams-Kilburn tube, but was three times faster than the Manchester Baby. The machine used plug-in units, which were printed circuits on glass plates.

Unfortunately, the Elliott 152 had reliability problems, and the MRS5 contract was cancelled by the Admiralty.

The company went on to produce much more successful computers. In 1961, the company supplied over half of the digital computers sold in the UK.

Related information:

• YouTube: The Story of Elliott-Automation

Image:

• Elliott 152 computer.
  Credit: © Computer Conservation Society, used with permission.

Related Items in the Collection:

The Manchester Baby, the world's first stored program computer, runs its first program

The Williams-Kilburn tube, the first RAM, is patented