Alan Turing letters found in storeroom
The correspondence offers a rare insight into the life of the celebrated code-breaker
Acollection of nearly 150 pieces of correspondence belonging to the computer scientist and cryptanalyst Alan Turing has been found in a filing cabinet in a storeroom at the University of Manchester. Written between 1949 and 1954, the cache includes a letter from GCHQ, a handwritten draft BBC radio programme about Artificial Intelligence, and invitations to deliver lectures at American universities.
The letters reveal little of Turing’s code-breaking work at Bletchley Park or his personal life, such as his conviction in 1952 for ‘gross indecency’ with another man. But they do shed light on his daily working life, including his groundbreaking research into mathematics and computing.
Professor James Miles of the School of Computer Science, who found the letters, says: “They provide a wealth of information about Turing’s research during his five years at Manchester University and will be of great interest to historians and computer scientists.”