[ A. E. Glennie, computer pioneer. ] Article titled 'A. E. Glennie describes Electronic Computers' in 'AWRE News | The Journal of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment'. With photographs of the IBM 7090 at Aldermaston.

Author: 
A. E. Glennie [ Alick Edwards Glennie ] (1925-2003), British computer scientist, developer of Autocode, colleague of Alan Turing [ Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, RAF Aldermaston ]
Publication details: 
A.W.R.E. News, vol. 8 no. 5. March 1961.
£100.00
SKU: 17503

44pp., 4to. Stapled. The complete magazine, in printed wraps with green masthead, on shiny art paper, with attractive 'modern' layout and numerous illustrations. Incongruous image on cover of girl and lamb. Glennie's article is on four pages, with a photograph of the author accompanied by a brief biography (ending 'He came to Aldermaston in 1955 and is now in S.S.C.M.') and three photographs of the 'IBM 7090 Electronic Data Processing Machine', one of them small, and the other two each half-page, and accompanied by a lengthy caption. The first of the two shows the room housing the computer, with two female operatives ('The rent, including overheads, of the complete machine works out at the order of ninepence per second. However, from one hour costing approximately £135, we can obtain as much work as a human computer could produce at his desk in several years.'), and the second shows a female operative at the 'Central Processing Unit' ('the "brain" of the machine'). The magazine as a whole is a fascinating artefact ('The Editorial Board regard this magazine as an Ambassador for Goodwill throughout the Weapons Group.'), with articles including 'Aldermaston News', 'News from Outstations', 'Industrial Benevolent Fund', 'A.E.A.C. News', 'News of the Trade Unions', 'Recreation Society' and 'Apprentices' Association'. Scarce: the only issues traced on COPAC at the British Library. Glennie is noted as having worked on FORTRAN while at Aldermaston, having previously taken part in the first ever game of chess against a computer, programmed by Alan Turing.