Interviewee: John Gardner , FBCS CITP D.O.B: 1937
Interviewer: Graham Briscoe
Date of Interview: Unusually, because of the Covid-19 lockdown, the oral history consists of answers to questions sent by the interviewer in March 2020.
Editor: Frank Land
Abstract: Trained as an apprentice engineer and spent 7 years working with EMI. Saw advert from LEO for engineer but wanted to leave engineering and applied to join LEO as a bureau programmer at Hartree House. Joined LEO in 1962 just as LEO ii/5 wasw being pkased out for LEO III/1. Worked, using first Intercode, then CLEO on a number of bureau applications including Heinz production control, and on the transfer of the Heinz bureau jobs from LEO II to their own LEO III. Progressed rapidly becoming responsible for payroll and share registration applications. With the long-term future of LEO dubious enticed to Honeywell (UK) by a job offer that could not be refused, to work on their H200 operating system. After 7 months I moved on to be a consultant for Hoskyns System Management which was being set up as a subsidiary to Hoskyns Consultancy and where the LEO experience was much more relevant. Worked for them for seven years, but then found that the nomadic life that was required of consultants to advance was not compatible with having a young family so joined London Transport IT where and worked for them for 20 years until retirement.
Restrictions: Non known
Repository:http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/62259/John-Gardner-Interview/