Oral_Histories

Interviewee: Ian Bruce                                                            DOB: 11 November 1947

Interviewer: Mike Hally

Editor: Tony Morgan and Frank Land

Role in LEO: Site engineer

Joined LEO (EELM): circa 1967

Date of Interview: 5th July 2017

Abstract: Left school in Edinburgh aged 15 to be apprenticed to his father’s Radio and TV supply and repair shop.  After 4 years, expecting to take over the business, his father sold the business leaving Ian to find a job.  On seeing an advert by EELM for computer engineers applied, sat the aptitude test and was offered job of trainee Data Prep engineer,  Assigned to work at CAV LEO III site in Acton.  Subsequently took on computer maintenance with special skills in maintenance of magnetic tape.  Worked on a number of sites including Post Office LEO 326 in Edinburgh and later on a range of ICL computers.  Became team leader but retired when offered early retirement Fujitsu after 35 years service.  Keen on sports and still active as a swimmer.

Copyright: LEO Computers Society

Restrictions: None known

Repositary: http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/62999/Ian-Bruce-Interview-5-July-2017-62999/

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Interviewee: Peter Wharton

Interviewer: John Daines

Date of Interview: 2nd November 2016        

Editors: David Phillips (P1) and Bob Marsh (P2)

Additional Editing: Frank Land (FL)
Joined LEO: 1962
Role in LEO: Programmer
Abstract:  After West Bromwich Grammar School and graduating with a maths degree from Leicester University. Following the advice of a friend who had become a computer programmer, responded to a LEO job advert, was called for an aptitude test at Hartree House.  Offered job as trainee programmer using CLEO, and with his background in maths was assigned to John Caldwell’s Mathematical Programming Group at Minerva Road. Worked on production of linear programming package for solving the transport problem principally for Shell.  Notes that unlike the programming groups at Hartree House the Minerva Road group had not adopted a setoff programming, testing and implementation procedures.  Moved to join programming teams in Hartree House, and in 1964 after merger with EE selected as member of EELM team to work on RCA Spectra 70 and in particular the design of multiprogramming software for what was to become System 4. Married fellow LEO programmer Sheila Milne.  On return to UK moved to Kidsgrove. With formation of ICL advanced rapidly at Company level rising to Chief Engineer working under Technical Director.  Became involved in collaborating with Universities including appointment as Visiting Professor at Southampton University and research collaborating with Durham University.
Repository : http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/53382/Peter-Wharton-Interview-2nd-November-2016-53382/
Copyright: LEO Computers Society
Restrictions: None known

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LEO Interviewee:   Ninian Eadie             DOB 15th March 1937

Interviewer:   Two Interviews, by ArchivesUK, and for LEO Oral History Project by John Ferguson plus a third memoir by Eadie himself. 

Date of Interview: LEO interview 6th July 2017
Joined 1960
Role in LEO: Joined LEO as a trainee programmer, rose rapidly in a variety of roles including teaching, defining CLEO, sales management in South Africa, managing the important Post Office project and taking senior management roles in EELM and subsequently ICL and Fujitsu. 
Left LEO, on 1967 merger to take senior roles in ICL
Abstract: 
Education, prep school, Winchester, Balliol College, Oxford (PPE).  After National Service in the Navy joined LEO as trainee programmer.  His LEO career included teaching on training courses, joining LEO teams assisting customers like Cerbos, defining LEO III software, acting as sales manager for LEO’s joint  venture with Rand Mines in South Africa, and culminating in the role of Project Manager for the LEO III and System 4 Post Office project, the largest and most technically and politically project in LEO history.  Following the merger which created ICL in 1967, he took on a series of increasingly senior roles for ICL and its successor companies, including managing ICL’s international sales organisation, acting as assistant to ICL’s chief executive and under Fujitsu became (1993 -1996) Group Executive Director for Technology before retirement.  Amongst his outside interests he became an internationally recognised Dinghy racer. 

Repository ArchiveIT:  Ninian Eadie – Archives of IT (archivesit.org.uk)              Repository recording  and  edited transcript by John Ferguson: http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/63000/Ninian-Eadie-Interview-6th-October-2017-63000/

Repository memoir:https://docs.google.com/document/d/11helrhqsYB1bjMijqiolYOAcyPFrCHxA/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=106995194925914651236&rtpof=true&sd=true

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DOB: 16th April 1928 
Interviewer:  Phillips
Date of Interview: 19/04/2022
Role in LEO: Trustee LEO Computers Society
Joined LEO: Joined LEO Computers Society as ‘friend’ in 2014
Abstract:
After a career as a Professional soldier, serving as adjutant while a junior officer and rising to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel,  found his metier in acting as a communicator.  Discovering his distant relationship to Joe Lyons and the Lyons food empire started compiling presentations to interested bodies like U3A, and Probus making 166 presentations in a period of a few years.  In the course of compiling the story of Lyons he discovered LEO, met LEO Computer Society people and started about 2014 telling the LEO story, and applied to join the LEO Computers Society as a friend. Subsequently became more and more involved compiling and making numerous presentations. Active member of LEO Computers Society.

Repository: http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/69137/Neville-Lyons-Interview/

Copyright: LEO Computers Society

Interviewee: Neville Lyons  Read More »

Georgina Ferry has donated the unedited transcripts of the people she interviewed for her book A Computer called LEO to the Heritage Project of the LEO Computers Society.  The following interviewees are included:Anthony Salmon, Maurice Wilkes, David Wheeler, Murray Laver, David Caminer, John Pinkerton, Ernest Kaye, Ray Shaw, Derek Hemy, Peter Hermon, John Aris, Mary Coombs, Ralph Land, Frank Land (incomplete first half of transcript lost) 

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