John Pinkerton (computer designer)
Encyclopedia
John Maurice McClean Pinkerton (2 August 1919 – 22 December 1997) was a pioneering British computer designer. Along with David Caminer
, he designed England's first business computer, the LEO computer
, produced by J. Lyons and Co in 1951.,
, and Clifton College
, Bristol. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge
from 1937 to 1940, reading Natural Sciences, and graduating with first class honours. He joined the Air Ministry Research Establishment in Swanage, to work on radar, and went with it to Malvern where it was renamed the Telecommunications Research Establishment
(where he met Maurice Wilkes). He returned to Cambridge as a research student at the Cavendish Laboratory
.
In 1948 he married Helen McCorkindale. They had a son and a daughter.
Colleagues describe him as having "a disarming way of listening intently to what others said", a "quiet, dry sense of humour", a "fine, critical, but constructive intelligence", "an enviable ability to handle detail", and "friendliness and kindness". They also mention his knowledge of music and English literature and his lively appreciation of good food.
machine, and introduced them to Pinkerton whom they recruited as chief engineer.
Pinkerton's approach was to leave the design unchanged as far as possible, while improving reliability by identifying the points of failure (notably electronic valves
) and developing test procedures that enabled component failures to be anticipated and prevented.
The machine went into operation in early 1951, and was used to its full capacity by 1954, at which point the company decided to build a second machine. They also saw the potential in building computers for use by other companies, and in 1955 set up a subsidiary, LEO Computers Ltd, with Pinkerton as technical director. In this capacity he was responsible for the development of the successor machines LEO II and LEO III.
By 1961 it was clear that the company did not have the resources to build its own computers indefinitely, so Lyons sold the operation to English Electric.
in 1968.
He remained with the company until his retirement in 1984, in a variety of product strategy roles.
Maurice Wilkes wrote, "it is a sad fact that, although he remained active in ICL at a senior level, he never found a role that in any way matched his track record or gave full scope for his abilities."
He served for many years as president of ECMA
, the European Computer Manufacturers' Association, helping to build it into an organization respected for the quality and timeliness of its work.
and "the mainspring of their Apprenticeship Scheme". He was also editor of a series of technical books.
He edited the ICL Technical Journal between 1990 and 1996. His predecessor, Jack Howlett
, commented: "John took the task of editing the journal with great seriousness, energy, and enthusiasm, and spared no effort in ensuring that the papers for each issue... met his exacting standards for content, presentation, and written English. He was very good indeed at discussing the content and form of a possible paper with a potential author, and, with an experienced author, ... helping to sort out the essential ideas and put them in the right logical order." He also frequently intervened with the managers of potential authors to allocate time and recognition for this activity.
He also made contributions to documenting the history of computing, for example through the
Science Museum
's recorded interviews with UK pioneers.
David Caminer
David Caminer, OBE has been called the world's "first corporate electronic systems analyst." He carried out the systems analysis and charting for the world's first routine business computer job.-Life and work:...
, he designed England's first business computer, the LEO computer
LEO computer
The LEO I was the first computer used for commercial business applications. Overseen by Oliver Standingford and Raymond Thompson of J. Lyons and Co., and modelled closely on the Cambridge EDSAC, LEO I ran its first business application in 1951...
, produced by J. Lyons and Co in 1951.,
Personal life
John Pinkerton was educated at King Edward's School, BathKing Edward's School, Bath
King Edward's School , Bath, Somerset, England is an independent school providing education for 950 pupils aged 3 to 18.The school is a member of The Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
, and Clifton College
Clifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
, Bristol. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
from 1937 to 1940, reading Natural Sciences, and graduating with first class honours. He joined the Air Ministry Research Establishment in Swanage, to work on radar, and went with it to Malvern where it was renamed the Telecommunications Research Establishment
Telecommunications Research Establishment
The Telecommunications Research Establishment was the main United Kingdom research and development organization for radio navigation, radar, infra-red detection for heat seeking missiles, and related work for the Royal Air Force during World War II and the years that followed. The name was...
(where he met Maurice Wilkes). He returned to Cambridge as a research student at the Cavendish Laboratory
Cavendish Laboratory
The Cavendish Laboratory is the Department of Physics at the University of Cambridge, and is part of the university's School of Physical Sciences. It was opened in 1874 as a teaching laboratory....
.
In 1948 he married Helen McCorkindale. They had a son and a daughter.
Colleagues describe him as having "a disarming way of listening intently to what others said", a "quiet, dry sense of humour", a "fine, critical, but constructive intelligence", "an enviable ability to handle detail", and "friendliness and kindness". They also mention his knowledge of music and English literature and his lively appreciation of good food.
J. Lyons
The catering firm of J. Lyons was known in the high street for its tea and cakes; in the business world it was known for its innovative approach to supply chain management. As early as 1947 the firm decided that the future lay with computers, and since nothing suitable was available, they resolved to build one. They approached Wilkes in Cambridge, who suggested that they construct a copy of the EDSACEDSAC
Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Calculator was an early British computer. The machine, having been inspired by John von Neumann's seminal First Draft of a Report on the EDVAC, was constructed by Maurice Wilkes and his team at the University of Cambridge Mathematical Laboratory in England...
machine, and introduced them to Pinkerton whom they recruited as chief engineer.
Pinkerton's approach was to leave the design unchanged as far as possible, while improving reliability by identifying the points of failure (notably electronic valves
Vacuum tube
In electronics, a vacuum tube, electron tube , or thermionic valve , reduced to simply "tube" or "valve" in everyday parlance, is a device that relies on the flow of electric current through a vacuum...
) and developing test procedures that enabled component failures to be anticipated and prevented.
The machine went into operation in early 1951, and was used to its full capacity by 1954, at which point the company decided to build a second machine. They also saw the potential in building computers for use by other companies, and in 1955 set up a subsidiary, LEO Computers Ltd, with Pinkerton as technical director. In this capacity he was responsible for the development of the successor machines LEO II and LEO III.
By 1961 it was clear that the company did not have the resources to build its own computers indefinitely, so Lyons sold the operation to English Electric.
English Electric and ICL
Pinkerton was appointed head of research in English Electric Computers, which went through a series of mergers eventually becoming part of ICLICL
-Companies and organizations:* ICL, the ICAO airline code for CAL Cargo Air Lines* International Computers Limited, a British computer hardware and services company, now known as Fujitsu Services...
in 1968.
He remained with the company until his retirement in 1984, in a variety of product strategy roles.
Maurice Wilkes wrote, "it is a sad fact that, although he remained active in ICL at a senior level, he never found a role that in any way matched his track record or gave full scope for his abilities."
He served for many years as president of ECMA
Ecma International
Ecma International is an international, private non-profit standards organization for information and communication systems. It acquired its name in 1994, when the European Computer Manufacturers Association changed its name to reflect the organization's global reach and activities...
, the European Computer Manufacturers' Association, helping to build it into an organization respected for the quality and timeliness of its work.
Retirement
In retirement Pinkerton was one of the original court members (from 1988) of the Worshipful Company of Information TechnologistsWorshipful Company of Information Technologists
The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists , aka the Information Technologists' Company , is the 100th Livery Company of the City of London...
and "the mainspring of their Apprenticeship Scheme". He was also editor of a series of technical books.
He edited the ICL Technical Journal between 1990 and 1996. His predecessor, Jack Howlett
Jack Howlett
Jack Howlett was a British mathematician and computer scientist who was head of the Atlas Computer Laboratory for the duration of its existence.- Personal life and early career :...
, commented: "John took the task of editing the journal with great seriousness, energy, and enthusiasm, and spared no effort in ensuring that the papers for each issue... met his exacting standards for content, presentation, and written English. He was very good indeed at discussing the content and form of a possible paper with a potential author, and, with an experienced author, ... helping to sort out the essential ideas and put them in the right logical order." He also frequently intervened with the managers of potential authors to allocate time and recognition for this activity.
He also made contributions to documenting the history of computing, for example through the
Science Museum
Science museum
A science museum or a science centre is a museum devoted primarily to science. Older science museums tended to concentrate on static displays of objects related to natural history, paleontology, geology, industry and industrial machinery, etc. Modern trends in museology have broadened the range of...
's recorded interviews with UK pioneers.
External links
- Oral history interview with John M. M. Pinkerton, Charles Babbage InstituteCharles Babbage InstituteThe Charles Babbage Institute is a research center at the University of Minnesota specializing in the history of information technology, particularly the history since 1935 of digital computing, programming/software, and computer networking....
, University of Minnesota. Pinkerton discusses his education and wartime work in radar technology, then describes work in the computer industry after World War II and specifically his work on the Leo computers. In this context he discusses the British computer firms J. Lyons and Company, English ElectricEnglish ElectricEnglish Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
, and International Computers Ltd.International Computers Ltd.International Computers Limited, or ICL, was a large British computer hardware, computer software and computer services company that operated from 1968 until 2002 when it was acquired, and renamed Fujitsu Services Limited after its parent company, Fujitsu... - IET Pinkerton Lecture, organised annually by the IETInstitution of Engineering and TechnologyThe Institution of Engineering and Technology is a British professional body for those working in engineering and technology in the United Kingdom and worldwide. It was formed in 2006 from two separate institutions: the Institution of Electrical Engineers , dating back to 1871, and the...
- http://www.leo-computers.org.uk/images/jmmp.jpg Photograph of John Pinkerton with the LEO Computer
