LEO editor

Leo II Computer: The latest in out series of early technologies from Michael
BennettLevy’s collection that went up for auction in October last year looks at the worlds first
commercial business computer, the LEO II/3. Entering service in May 1958, the LEO
II/3 (Lyons Electronic Office II/3) at Stuart and Lloyds in London was the world’s first
commercial business computer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_Z6OGBif9w

Mary Coombs was a programmer for LEO, the Lyons Electronic Office that was the world’s first business computer. Produced by Google as part of a series of short films high lighting women’s involvement in the early days of computing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6DRr0Dhn4Q

Taking the Punch Out of Input, 1970’s era film by Lyons Computer Services
focusing on input devices for LEO III range developed in 1960’s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IPVdHHRc2Q

Electronic Data Processing. A series of film strips produced by the Institute of Office
Management by its EDP Committee covering LEO I, Elliott 405 and Ferranti Pegasus.
Available from Kevin Murrell at the National Museum of Computer History,
Bletchley. Copy held by LEO Computers Society.

Unveiling Ceremony, on the 29th November 2016 a commemorative plinth was unveiled
in Lyons Walk in the Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, a site overlooking the place
once occupied by Cadby Hall the headquarters of J. Lyons & Co and the location of the
world’s first business computer LEO. The unveiling took place exactly 65 years after
LEO carried out on behalf of Lyons the running of the world’s first data processing
application on an electronic computer. The unveiling was carried out jointly by Dame
Stephanie Shirley and Frank Land in the presence of representatives of the Borough of
Hammersmith and Fulham, representatives of the local MP, Andrew Slaughter,
descendants of the families which had built J. Lyons & Co., members of the LEO
Computers Society and friends of LEO including representatives of the Association for
Information Technology. The erection of the plinth was arranged by the Borough of
Hammersmith and Fulham and much of the funding provided by Tony Morgan of the
LEO Computers Society. A film of the ceremony, including speeches by Peter Byford, a
representative of the Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, Frank Land, Dame
Stephanie Shirley, and Tony Morgan can be found on https://youtu.be/FmHnKq15SGc
For more information and pictures see Plaque Unveiling
The Sunday Times carried an op-ed article by Dominic Lawson following the ceremony, entitled 65 years ago the age of the computer began ….. to sell better tea cake page 24 4th December 2016. http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/comment/65-years-ago-the-age-of-the-computer-began-to-sell-a-better-tea-cake-zzpx63qx6

The Centre for Computer History Exhibition of LEO history 18-19th
November 2017, including presentations by Peter Byford and colleagues. Peter Byford’s
presentation available on You Tube at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4zyZG0OxFI

YOUTUBE 1969 Film celebrating 20 years of Ostrava Steel Works including a number
of shots of their LEO III including shots with its chief engineer Jiri Baranek. The LEO
episodes occur at 3m 24s, 7m 42s, and 9m 58s in the film. See
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OYm5GeZXc4&t=3s.
Another 1971 Film of the steelworks featuring LEO can be found at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpm6LYgnb8w 7.46 minutes into the 10
minute film.

The episode shown on January 25th 2019 features the fictional
computer UNIAC, based on EDSAC and notes it working on a business system for a
teashop enterprise around 1960

Hot Millions: a 1968 crime comedy made by MGM. The story depicts Ustinov as a
computer operator using the computer to steal millions. It was directed by Eric Till and
produced by Mildred Freed Alberg, from a collaborative screenplay by Ira Wallach and
star Peter Ustinov. MGM rented a LEO III/326 computer from the Post Office for the
scenes involving Ustinov engaged in his criminal activity. The trailer for the film can be
downloaded at https://www.bing.com/search?q=Hot+Millions+Peter++Ustinov&refig=1910fc8a8d58
45e99f4f153ee907922b&pc=U531&sp=-1&pq=hot+millions+peter+ustinov&sc=1-
26&qs=n&sk=&cvid=1910fc8a8d5845e99f4f153ee907922b&FORM=VDVVXX

1. Bletchley Park lectures – LEO the first Business Computer by Alan King 20th January 2005
   2-4. 3 DVDs labelled London Home movies episode 4 – Granada TV LEO – this included
   interviews with David Caminer and Peter Byford effectively doing a commentary with
   the LEO (1958 film)and a short sequence of LEO lll film introduced by Brian Eaton.
   Another DVD includes some video of Manchester computer (Baby?) , Colossus and John
   Page (LEO engineer) talking about LEO.
   Incidentally does Chris Monk realise that the LEO film does include sequences of LEO l?
2. LEO lll/1 (Hartree House – mid-sixties 2min 22 secs by Colin Browning
3. LEO people interviews by Over the pond film company on behalf of Google Nov
   2011 – used for the Pioneers film. 2 dvds Original filming and edited version (by Peter
   B).
   I also have VHS copies of London Home movies and a 1960 training film. I also have a
   VHS which someone gave me ages ago which is labelled. 2min 45 Bletchley stills, 3min
   42 Rostram/Lyons sync, 6min 20 Wilsoh (not sure of writing here) “white heat, 9 min
   ICL press conference etc.