Description of Photograph

Digital copy of a photograph of the roller blind caption set up for the first public demonstration of LEO I.

The original caption for the photo gives the date for the demo as January 1954, but the date given in the LEO Chronicle (55876) is 16 February 1954. 

Caption: 'For the first public demonstration in January 1954 attended by numerous representatives of the national press, this roller blind caption was mounted on the ceiling. It was devised by Arthur Clements.'

This image appears in the interactive plan for our Virtual LEO I installation, p80.

Related images: CMLEO/PB/PH/1/60498

 

Research comments: In other photos, the 'roller blind' contraption can be seen mounted on the ceiling ready for the demo - the related image (photo 40 of the interactive plan) shows it most clearly. It explains the payroll program that was demonstrated that day. 

The press made a great deal of fuss about the 'giant brain' (a popular phrase used at the time) that could calculate a man's pay faster than a human clerk could do it. (LM/CM)

Provenance
Digital copy made by John Daines, LEO Computers Society, of a photograph in the LEO Computers Collection (formerly part of the National Archive of Historic Computing) at the University of Manchester Library: NAHC/LEO/B1-65

Date: 16th February 1954

Physical Description: 1 digital image (jpeg); black & white; image includes original typed caption

Archives Hub References: CMLEO/LS/PH/1/61876
NAHCB1-65

Other References: DCMLEO20210214052
                  
                  
                  
                  


Comment on This Photograph

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH61876. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.