Instructions for the Nascom 1 Microcomputer and Programming Material

Nascom Microcomputers Ltd was established in 1977 as a subsidiary of the North American Semiconductor Company, a British company that distributed American semi-conductors and other electronics. The business sold the Nascom 1 and Nascom 2 kit computers, issued in 1977 and 1979 respectively. The Nascom 1 was created and designed by John Marshall and Chris Shelton. Unusually for the time, it was sold with a full keyboard and video display interface and so has a claim to be the first British-designed microcomputer. In order to keep costs down, the user had to hand solder hundreds of joints on the circuit board themselves. The magazine 'Wireless World' published a series of articles detailing the design process.

In 1978 Nascom established the International Nascom Microcomputer Club (later INMC80), as a forum to learn from its expert user community. The Club produced a newsletter for its members.

Nascom was sold to Lucas Logic, the computer applications subsidiary of the Lucas Group, in 1981 and was renamed Lucas Nascom.

Tatung (UK) Ltd was the British subsidiary company of the Taiwanese Tatung Company, a multinational corporation established in 1918 and headquartered in Zhongshan, Taipei, Taiwan. The British company was established in the 1980s and manufactured the Tatung Einstein personal computer, as well as selling televisions, videos and radios, audio-visual equipment, television and video accessories, Hi-fi and stereo systems and public address systems.