Manuals and Papers relating to Ferranti Computers
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TitleManuals and Papers relating to Ferranti Computers
ReferenceYA2002.11
CreatorFerranti International plc
Ferranti International plc was an electrical engineering company originally established in 1883 as S Z de Ferranti.
Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti had previously worked for Siemens Brothers in London before starting his first company, Ferranti, Thompson and Ince Ltd, in 1882 to manufacture alternators. When this company was wound up in 1883, de Ferranti bought back his patents in his alternator design and set up S Z de Ferranti with C P Sparks the same year. The business became a limited liability company in 1889, changing name to S Z de Ferranti Ltd.
In 1896, the company moved from London to new premises in Hollinwood, Oldham, where land and labour were cheaper. In 1901, a new company name, Ferranti Ltd, was registered. Ferranti Ltd acquired the undertakings and assets of S Z de Ferranti Ltd the same year.
The company ran into financial difficulties in 1903, largely through the investment in developing steam engines and dynamos. At the instigation of the debenture stockholders the company went into voluntary receivership. In 1905, the company was relaunched under a scheme of reconstruction, with production limited to the manufacture of switch gear, transformers and instruments. De Ferranti himself took a less active role in the running of the reconstituted company.
Ferranti Ltd expanded its output in 1912 from electricity generating and distribution equipment to include electrical domestic appliances, establishing the Domestic Appliance Department. Expansion overseas began in 1913 when the Ferranti Electric Company of Canada was created as a separate business to the main company.
By 1914, Ferranti Ltd was spread over several sites. It suspended normal production during the First World War and concentrated on the manufacture of shells. This was the first of Ferranti’s government defence contracts.
The 1920s saw a resumption of manufacturing of civilian products. In 1923, production of audio frequency transformers signalled Ferranti Ltd’s move into electronics. In 1926, the company resumed manufacturing domestic appliances, beginning with electric fires, and began trading in the United States as Ferranti Electric Inc, New York. 1927 saw the re-establishment of the Domestic Appliance Department. In 1929, Ferranti Ltd began producing commercial radio receivers and in 1935 established its Moston radio factory, to which the Domestic Appliance Department moved in 1937. Shortly afterwards, television manufacturing started at the Moston site.
Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti died in 1930, and his son Vincent de Ferranti became company chairman in his place. During the 1930s, the company became closely associated with devices that would feature strongly in the Second World War, including thermionic valves (vacuum tubes) used in radios and radar, avionics and naval instruments. During the Second World War, Ferranti Ltd produced marine radar equipment, gyro gun sights for fighters and one of the world’s first IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) radar systems, which reduced the possibility of firing on friendly aircraft or ships. In 1943, the company opened its Edinburgh factory to manufacture gyro gun sights. The Edinburgh site would become Ferranti Ltd’s hub for the manufacture of military defence equipment.
Ferranti Ltd retained its interest in the defence sector after the Second World War. From 1948, the company began to develop guided missiles, especially the Bloodhound, at the Moston factory and later at the Wythenshawe factory. While the defence and communication market expanded throughout the 1950s, domestic products became unprofitable and were dropped. The company sold its radio and television interests to E K Cole Ltd in 1957, and the Domestic Appliance Department closed the following year. Ferranti became increasingly associated with ‘high-tech’ devices, including microwave communications equipment built at Poynton, near Stockport.
Ferranti Ltd moved into computing in 1949, with the establishment of the Computer Department. The department produced the first Ferranti Mark I computer, a commercial version of the ‘Baby’ computer developed by Manchester University, at the Moston factory in 1951. It was the world’s first commercially produced computer. Computer production moved to a factory in West Gorton in 1956, but the Computer Division was sold to International Computers and Tabulators Ltd (ICT) in 1963. Other sections of the company continued to develop computer technology for more specialised applications. Ferranti Ltd also invested in semiconductor research, leading to its development of the first European microprocessor, the F-100L, at its Bracknell plant. Ferranti Ltd also produced non-standard silicon chips to suit individual customers’ needs.
The Hollinwood factory continued to produce generating plant, such as large transformers, establishing the Distribution Transformer Department in 1957. This department operated until 1967.
By 1975 the company was in financial difficulty and the British Government bought a 50% stake in Ferranti Ltd to enable the company to continue developing its telecommunications and computerised control systems. In 1984, the company was restructured into five operating divisions: Ferranti Defence Systems, Ferranti Industrial Electronics, Ferranti Computer Systems, Ferranti Electronics, and Ferranti Instrumentation.
Ferranti Ltd merged with the US based International Signals and Control Group in 1987. The company traded very briefly as Ferranti plc in May 1988, prior to its official name change to Ferranti International Signal plc. The US company had been over-valued because of fraudulent practice. This affected the operation of the newly formed company, and the Defence and Guided Weapons Divisions were sold off to competitors in the area of defence work. Following the discovery of the fraud in 1989, Ferranti International Signal plc was renamed Ferranti International plc in 1990.
The fraud amounted to a loss to Ferranti of £215 million as a result of this the company began legal proceedings against the former Chairman of International Signals & Control Mr James Guerin and three other senior employees. Ferranti were successful and Mr Guerin was ordered to pay $189.9 million to the Ferranti group. A similar judgement was given against the others who were also ordered to repay $189.9 million to the group.
As a consequence of the fraud Ferranti had to dispose of several of its interests in order to raise badly needed cash to reduce its debt burden. Amongst the companies sold were Ferranti Defence Systems Group to the General Electric Company. The Italian companies owned by Ferranti International plc were sold to Finmeccancia plc. Various other smaller interests, including civil computer maintenance, Dundee components and laser business, and a joint venture Thomson-CSF SA were also sold.
Not all the money was recovered, and on 1 December 1993 Ferranti International plc went into receivership, with the remaining company divisions sold off.
Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti had previously worked for Siemens Brothers in London before starting his first company, Ferranti, Thompson and Ince Ltd, in 1882 to manufacture alternators. When this company was wound up in 1883, de Ferranti bought back his patents in his alternator design and set up S Z de Ferranti with C P Sparks the same year. The business became a limited liability company in 1889, changing name to S Z de Ferranti Ltd.
In 1896, the company moved from London to new premises in Hollinwood, Oldham, where land and labour were cheaper. In 1901, a new company name, Ferranti Ltd, was registered. Ferranti Ltd acquired the undertakings and assets of S Z de Ferranti Ltd the same year.
The company ran into financial difficulties in 1903, largely through the investment in developing steam engines and dynamos. At the instigation of the debenture stockholders the company went into voluntary receivership. In 1905, the company was relaunched under a scheme of reconstruction, with production limited to the manufacture of switch gear, transformers and instruments. De Ferranti himself took a less active role in the running of the reconstituted company.
Ferranti Ltd expanded its output in 1912 from electricity generating and distribution equipment to include electrical domestic appliances, establishing the Domestic Appliance Department. Expansion overseas began in 1913 when the Ferranti Electric Company of Canada was created as a separate business to the main company.
By 1914, Ferranti Ltd was spread over several sites. It suspended normal production during the First World War and concentrated on the manufacture of shells. This was the first of Ferranti’s government defence contracts.
The 1920s saw a resumption of manufacturing of civilian products. In 1923, production of audio frequency transformers signalled Ferranti Ltd’s move into electronics. In 1926, the company resumed manufacturing domestic appliances, beginning with electric fires, and began trading in the United States as Ferranti Electric Inc, New York. 1927 saw the re-establishment of the Domestic Appliance Department. In 1929, Ferranti Ltd began producing commercial radio receivers and in 1935 established its Moston radio factory, to which the Domestic Appliance Department moved in 1937. Shortly afterwards, television manufacturing started at the Moston site.
Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti died in 1930, and his son Vincent de Ferranti became company chairman in his place. During the 1930s, the company became closely associated with devices that would feature strongly in the Second World War, including thermionic valves (vacuum tubes) used in radios and radar, avionics and naval instruments. During the Second World War, Ferranti Ltd produced marine radar equipment, gyro gun sights for fighters and one of the world’s first IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) radar systems, which reduced the possibility of firing on friendly aircraft or ships. In 1943, the company opened its Edinburgh factory to manufacture gyro gun sights. The Edinburgh site would become Ferranti Ltd’s hub for the manufacture of military defence equipment.
Ferranti Ltd retained its interest in the defence sector after the Second World War. From 1948, the company began to develop guided missiles, especially the Bloodhound, at the Moston factory and later at the Wythenshawe factory. While the defence and communication market expanded throughout the 1950s, domestic products became unprofitable and were dropped. The company sold its radio and television interests to E K Cole Ltd in 1957, and the Domestic Appliance Department closed the following year. Ferranti became increasingly associated with ‘high-tech’ devices, including microwave communications equipment built at Poynton, near Stockport.
Ferranti Ltd moved into computing in 1949, with the establishment of the Computer Department. The department produced the first Ferranti Mark I computer, a commercial version of the ‘Baby’ computer developed by Manchester University, at the Moston factory in 1951. It was the world’s first commercially produced computer. Computer production moved to a factory in West Gorton in 1956, but the Computer Division was sold to International Computers and Tabulators Ltd (ICT) in 1963. Other sections of the company continued to develop computer technology for more specialised applications. Ferranti Ltd also invested in semiconductor research, leading to its development of the first European microprocessor, the F-100L, at its Bracknell plant. Ferranti Ltd also produced non-standard silicon chips to suit individual customers’ needs.
The Hollinwood factory continued to produce generating plant, such as large transformers, establishing the Distribution Transformer Department in 1957. This department operated until 1967.
By 1975 the company was in financial difficulty and the British Government bought a 50% stake in Ferranti Ltd to enable the company to continue developing its telecommunications and computerised control systems. In 1984, the company was restructured into five operating divisions: Ferranti Defence Systems, Ferranti Industrial Electronics, Ferranti Computer Systems, Ferranti Electronics, and Ferranti Instrumentation.
Ferranti Ltd merged with the US based International Signals and Control Group in 1987. The company traded very briefly as Ferranti plc in May 1988, prior to its official name change to Ferranti International Signal plc. The US company had been over-valued because of fraudulent practice. This affected the operation of the newly formed company, and the Defence and Guided Weapons Divisions were sold off to competitors in the area of defence work. Following the discovery of the fraud in 1989, Ferranti International Signal plc was renamed Ferranti International plc in 1990.
The fraud amounted to a loss to Ferranti of £215 million as a result of this the company began legal proceedings against the former Chairman of International Signals & Control Mr James Guerin and three other senior employees. Ferranti were successful and Mr Guerin was ordered to pay $189.9 million to the Ferranti group. A similar judgement was given against the others who were also ordered to repay $189.9 million to the group.
As a consequence of the fraud Ferranti had to dispose of several of its interests in order to raise badly needed cash to reduce its debt burden. Amongst the companies sold were Ferranti Defence Systems Group to the General Electric Company. The Italian companies owned by Ferranti International plc were sold to Finmeccancia plc. Various other smaller interests, including civil computer maintenance, Dundee components and laser business, and a joint venture Thomson-CSF SA were also sold.
Not all the money was recovered, and on 1 December 1993 Ferranti International plc went into receivership, with the remaining company divisions sold off.
Date
1957-1966
Scope and Content8 items. Manuals and papers relating to compiling, programming and coding Ferranti Mercury, Pegasus, Atlas and Orion computers, including a copy of R. A. Brooker's Compiler Compiler, 1957-1966.
Extent0.05 linear metres
LanguageEnglish
Archival historyThe papers and manuals were used by the donor during his employment and academic studies.
Levelfonds
Repository nameScience and Industry Museum
Associated people and organisationsFerranti International plc
Ellison, David
Ferranti International plc was an electrical engineering company originally established in 1883 as S Z de Ferranti.
Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti had previously worked for Siemens Brothers in London before starting his first company, Ferranti, Thompson and Ince Ltd, in 1882 to manufacture alternators. When this company was wound up in 1883, de Ferranti bought back his patents in his alternator design and set up S Z de Ferranti with C P Sparks the same year. The business became a limited liability company in 1889, changing name to S Z de Ferranti Ltd.
In 1896, the company moved from London to new premises in Hollinwood, Oldham, where land and labour were cheaper. In 1901, a new company name, Ferranti Ltd, was registered. Ferranti Ltd acquired the undertakings and assets of S Z de Ferranti Ltd the same year.
The company ran into financial difficulties in 1903, largely through the investment in developing steam engines and dynamos. At the instigation of the debenture stockholders the company went into voluntary receivership. In 1905, the company was relaunched under a scheme of reconstruction, with production limited to the manufacture of switch gear, transformers and instruments. De Ferranti himself took a less active role in the running of the reconstituted company.
Ferranti Ltd expanded its output in 1912 from electricity generating and distribution equipment to include electrical domestic appliances, establishing the Domestic Appliance Department. Expansion overseas began in 1913 when the Ferranti Electric Company of Canada was created as a separate business to the main company.
By 1914, Ferranti Ltd was spread over several sites. It suspended normal production during the First World War and concentrated on the manufacture of shells. This was the first of Ferranti’s government defence contracts.
The 1920s saw a resumption of manufacturing of civilian products. In 1923, production of audio frequency transformers signalled Ferranti Ltd’s move into electronics. In 1926, the company resumed manufacturing domestic appliances, beginning with electric fires, and began trading in the United States as Ferranti Electric Inc, New York. 1927 saw the re-establishment of the Domestic Appliance Department. In 1929, Ferranti Ltd began producing commercial radio receivers and in 1935 established its Moston radio factory, to which the Domestic Appliance Department moved in 1937. Shortly afterwards, television manufacturing started at the Moston site.
Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti died in 1930, and his son Vincent de Ferranti became company chairman in his place. During the 1930s, the company became closely associated with devices that would feature strongly in the Second World War, including thermionic valves (vacuum tubes) used in radios and radar, avionics and naval instruments. During the Second World War, Ferranti Ltd produced marine radar equipment, gyro gun sights for fighters and one of the world’s first IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) radar systems, which reduced the possibility of firing on friendly aircraft or ships. In 1943, the company opened its Edinburgh factory to manufacture gyro gun sights. The Edinburgh site would become Ferranti Ltd’s hub for the manufacture of military defence equipment.
Ferranti Ltd retained its interest in the defence sector after the Second World War. From 1948, the company began to develop guided missiles, especially the Bloodhound, at the Moston factory and later at the Wythenshawe factory. While the defence and communication market expanded throughout the 1950s, domestic products became unprofitable and were dropped. The company sold its radio and television interests to E K Cole Ltd in 1957, and the Domestic Appliance Department closed the following year. Ferranti became increasingly associated with ‘high-tech’ devices, including microwave communications equipment built at Poynton, near Stockport.
Ferranti Ltd moved into computing in 1949, with the establishment of the Computer Department. The department produced the first Ferranti Mark I computer, a commercial version of the ‘Baby’ computer developed by Manchester University, at the Moston factory in 1951. It was the world’s first commercially produced computer. Computer production moved to a factory in West Gorton in 1956, but the Computer Division was sold to International Computers and Tabulators Ltd (ICT) in 1963. Other sections of the company continued to develop computer technology for more specialised applications. Ferranti Ltd also invested in semiconductor research, leading to its development of the first European microprocessor, the F-100L, at its Bracknell plant. Ferranti Ltd also produced non-standard silicon chips to suit individual customers’ needs.
The Hollinwood factory continued to produce generating plant, such as large transformers, establishing the Distribution Transformer Department in 1957. This department operated until 1967.
By 1975 the company was in financial difficulty and the British Government bought a 50% stake in Ferranti Ltd to enable the company to continue developing its telecommunications and computerised control systems. In 1984, the company was restructured into five operating divisions: Ferranti Defence Systems, Ferranti Industrial Electronics, Ferranti Computer Systems, Ferranti Electronics, and Ferranti Instrumentation.
Ferranti Ltd merged with the US based International Signals and Control Group in 1987. The company traded very briefly as Ferranti plc in May 1988, prior to its official name change to Ferranti International Signal plc. The US company had been over-valued because of fraudulent practice. This affected the operation of the newly formed company, and the Defence and Guided Weapons Divisions were sold off to competitors in the area of defence work. Following the discovery of the fraud in 1989, Ferranti International Signal plc was renamed Ferranti International plc in 1990.
The fraud amounted to a loss to Ferranti of £215 million as a result of this the company began legal proceedings against the former Chairman of International Signals & Control Mr James Guerin and three other senior employees. Ferranti were successful and Mr Guerin was ordered to pay $189.9 million to the Ferranti group. A similar judgement was given against the others who were also ordered to repay $189.9 million to the group.
As a consequence of the fraud Ferranti had to dispose of several of its interests in order to raise badly needed cash to reduce its debt burden. Amongst the companies sold were Ferranti Defence Systems Group to the General Electric Company. The Italian companies owned by Ferranti International plc were sold to Finmeccancia plc. Various other smaller interests, including civil computer maintenance, Dundee components and laser business, and a joint venture Thomson-CSF SA were also sold.
Not all the money was recovered, and on 1 December 1993 Ferranti International plc went into receivership, with the remaining company divisions sold off.
Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti had previously worked for Siemens Brothers in London before starting his first company, Ferranti, Thompson and Ince Ltd, in 1882 to manufacture alternators. When this company was wound up in 1883, de Ferranti bought back his patents in his alternator design and set up S Z de Ferranti with C P Sparks the same year. The business became a limited liability company in 1889, changing name to S Z de Ferranti Ltd.
In 1896, the company moved from London to new premises in Hollinwood, Oldham, where land and labour were cheaper. In 1901, a new company name, Ferranti Ltd, was registered. Ferranti Ltd acquired the undertakings and assets of S Z de Ferranti Ltd the same year.
The company ran into financial difficulties in 1903, largely through the investment in developing steam engines and dynamos. At the instigation of the debenture stockholders the company went into voluntary receivership. In 1905, the company was relaunched under a scheme of reconstruction, with production limited to the manufacture of switch gear, transformers and instruments. De Ferranti himself took a less active role in the running of the reconstituted company.
Ferranti Ltd expanded its output in 1912 from electricity generating and distribution equipment to include electrical domestic appliances, establishing the Domestic Appliance Department. Expansion overseas began in 1913 when the Ferranti Electric Company of Canada was created as a separate business to the main company.
By 1914, Ferranti Ltd was spread over several sites. It suspended normal production during the First World War and concentrated on the manufacture of shells. This was the first of Ferranti’s government defence contracts.
The 1920s saw a resumption of manufacturing of civilian products. In 1923, production of audio frequency transformers signalled Ferranti Ltd’s move into electronics. In 1926, the company resumed manufacturing domestic appliances, beginning with electric fires, and began trading in the United States as Ferranti Electric Inc, New York. 1927 saw the re-establishment of the Domestic Appliance Department. In 1929, Ferranti Ltd began producing commercial radio receivers and in 1935 established its Moston radio factory, to which the Domestic Appliance Department moved in 1937. Shortly afterwards, television manufacturing started at the Moston site.
Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti died in 1930, and his son Vincent de Ferranti became company chairman in his place. During the 1930s, the company became closely associated with devices that would feature strongly in the Second World War, including thermionic valves (vacuum tubes) used in radios and radar, avionics and naval instruments. During the Second World War, Ferranti Ltd produced marine radar equipment, gyro gun sights for fighters and one of the world’s first IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) radar systems, which reduced the possibility of firing on friendly aircraft or ships. In 1943, the company opened its Edinburgh factory to manufacture gyro gun sights. The Edinburgh site would become Ferranti Ltd’s hub for the manufacture of military defence equipment.
Ferranti Ltd retained its interest in the defence sector after the Second World War. From 1948, the company began to develop guided missiles, especially the Bloodhound, at the Moston factory and later at the Wythenshawe factory. While the defence and communication market expanded throughout the 1950s, domestic products became unprofitable and were dropped. The company sold its radio and television interests to E K Cole Ltd in 1957, and the Domestic Appliance Department closed the following year. Ferranti became increasingly associated with ‘high-tech’ devices, including microwave communications equipment built at Poynton, near Stockport.
Ferranti Ltd moved into computing in 1949, with the establishment of the Computer Department. The department produced the first Ferranti Mark I computer, a commercial version of the ‘Baby’ computer developed by Manchester University, at the Moston factory in 1951. It was the world’s first commercially produced computer. Computer production moved to a factory in West Gorton in 1956, but the Computer Division was sold to International Computers and Tabulators Ltd (ICT) in 1963. Other sections of the company continued to develop computer technology for more specialised applications. Ferranti Ltd also invested in semiconductor research, leading to its development of the first European microprocessor, the F-100L, at its Bracknell plant. Ferranti Ltd also produced non-standard silicon chips to suit individual customers’ needs.
The Hollinwood factory continued to produce generating plant, such as large transformers, establishing the Distribution Transformer Department in 1957. This department operated until 1967.
By 1975 the company was in financial difficulty and the British Government bought a 50% stake in Ferranti Ltd to enable the company to continue developing its telecommunications and computerised control systems. In 1984, the company was restructured into five operating divisions: Ferranti Defence Systems, Ferranti Industrial Electronics, Ferranti Computer Systems, Ferranti Electronics, and Ferranti Instrumentation.
Ferranti Ltd merged with the US based International Signals and Control Group in 1987. The company traded very briefly as Ferranti plc in May 1988, prior to its official name change to Ferranti International Signal plc. The US company had been over-valued because of fraudulent practice. This affected the operation of the newly formed company, and the Defence and Guided Weapons Divisions were sold off to competitors in the area of defence work. Following the discovery of the fraud in 1989, Ferranti International Signal plc was renamed Ferranti International plc in 1990.
The fraud amounted to a loss to Ferranti of £215 million as a result of this the company began legal proceedings against the former Chairman of International Signals & Control Mr James Guerin and three other senior employees. Ferranti were successful and Mr Guerin was ordered to pay $189.9 million to the Ferranti group. A similar judgement was given against the others who were also ordered to repay $189.9 million to the group.
As a consequence of the fraud Ferranti had to dispose of several of its interests in order to raise badly needed cash to reduce its debt burden. Amongst the companies sold were Ferranti Defence Systems Group to the General Electric Company. The Italian companies owned by Ferranti International plc were sold to Finmeccancia plc. Various other smaller interests, including civil computer maintenance, Dundee components and laser business, and a joint venture Thomson-CSF SA were also sold.
Not all the money was recovered, and on 1 December 1993 Ferranti International plc went into receivership, with the remaining company divisions sold off.
Ellison, David
David Ellison trained as a computer programmer at the University of Manchester. Prior to starting his degree, he worked at Television House in Manchester from February to September 1966. Here he assisted in the running of programs at West Gorton on an FP6000 computer that had been brought from Ferranti Packard in Canada as the prototype for the 1900 series of computers. David learned the programming language Fortran and worked with Peter Stocker, Charles Murgotrough, John Hindley and Dr Printz in the programming team.
David was one of the original undergraduates to follow the University of Manchester's computer science degree course, which was the first course of its kind in the United Kingdom. He studied from October 1966 to June 1968 and was taught by Professor Tom Kilburn, Professor Frank Sumner, Jeff Rohl, Tony Brooker, Derrick Morris and Eric Dunstan. David's final year project was to create a set of graphics primitives that could be output on a Calcomp drum plotter.
David continuted his studies at the University of Manchester on a Masters Degree from July 1968 to Oct 1969. He was supervised by Dr Charles Lindsey and carried out research into the Compiler Compiler work of Tony Brooker.
From 1969 – 1977, David was employed as a systems programmer at the University of Manchester Regional Computer Centre. Together with Richard Collins, David created the in-core Fortran 66 compiler for the 1900 series computers. This program was heavily used throughout the 1970s in many universities. The program enabled students to develop and run programs in a batch environment with the compiler generating code without the need for semi-compiled interim code and with the programs executing with full software protection within the compiler environment.
Much of David's work was done during the development of George 3 and he worked closely with colleagues to help stabilise one of the most user-friendly operating systems that was developed. He worked on the Control Data 7600 and helped develop a symbolic debugging package for their proprietary Fortran compiler.
In 1977, David was appointed as an assistant director to Professor John Larmouth at the University of Salford. Here, he helped run the University’s computing service and assisted in the implementation of the Larmouth scheduler that enabled dynamic scheduling of priority of jobs, based upon individual share allocations and usage.
David went on to head a team that developed a Fortran 77 compiler, initially for the ICL 1900s to replace the earlier version, and subsequently a version was created for the Prime super minis. After this, he became director of the computing service at the University of Salford, and was responsible for the first Novell based computing service for all students using a filestore hierarchical structure and a system of remote booting of the PCs over Ethernet.
In 1997, David took early retirement from the University of Salford, and became a part-time director of Salford Software Limited, a wholly-owned company of the University. The company had been created to capitalise on the University's Fortran 77 compiler for the Prime super minis. The company created Fortran 77, Fortran 90 and Fortran 95 compilers for the Intel 386 processors and upwards, as well as a C compiler and a windows developer tool for Fortran developers. It is still active in these areas as well as supporting the higher education community for Novell networking.
David was one of the original undergraduates to follow the University of Manchester's computer science degree course, which was the first course of its kind in the United Kingdom. He studied from October 1966 to June 1968 and was taught by Professor Tom Kilburn, Professor Frank Sumner, Jeff Rohl, Tony Brooker, Derrick Morris and Eric Dunstan. David's final year project was to create a set of graphics primitives that could be output on a Calcomp drum plotter.
David continuted his studies at the University of Manchester on a Masters Degree from July 1968 to Oct 1969. He was supervised by Dr Charles Lindsey and carried out research into the Compiler Compiler work of Tony Brooker.
From 1969 – 1977, David was employed as a systems programmer at the University of Manchester Regional Computer Centre. Together with Richard Collins, David created the in-core Fortran 66 compiler for the 1900 series computers. This program was heavily used throughout the 1970s in many universities. The program enabled students to develop and run programs in a batch environment with the compiler generating code without the need for semi-compiled interim code and with the programs executing with full software protection within the compiler environment.
Much of David's work was done during the development of George 3 and he worked closely with colleagues to help stabilise one of the most user-friendly operating systems that was developed. He worked on the Control Data 7600 and helped develop a symbolic debugging package for their proprietary Fortran compiler.
In 1977, David was appointed as an assistant director to Professor John Larmouth at the University of Salford. Here, he helped run the University’s computing service and assisted in the implementation of the Larmouth scheduler that enabled dynamic scheduling of priority of jobs, based upon individual share allocations and usage.
David went on to head a team that developed a Fortran 77 compiler, initially for the ICL 1900s to replace the earlier version, and subsequently a version was created for the Prime super minis. After this, he became director of the computing service at the University of Salford, and was responsible for the first Novell based computing service for all students using a filestore hierarchical structure and a system of remote booting of the PCs over Ethernet.
In 1997, David took early retirement from the University of Salford, and became a part-time director of Salford Software Limited, a wholly-owned company of the University. The company had been created to capitalise on the University's Fortran 77 compiler for the Prime super minis. The company created Fortran 77, Fortran 90 and Fortran 95 compilers for the Intel 386 processors and upwards, as well as a C compiler and a windows developer tool for Fortran developers. It is still active in these areas as well as supporting the higher education community for Novell networking.
Conditions governing accessOpen access.
Conditions governing ReproductionCopies may be supplied in accordance with current copyright legislation and Science Museum Group terms and conditions.
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