From slide rules to Douglas Hartree's differential analyser and Ferranti's early computers, these objects trace the development of calculating and computing technology.
Computing & Data Processing
1871
Analytical engine constructed by the late Chas. Babbage, F.R.S., (this was not put together when received and there are still many pieces, moulds etc. received in 1878, on exhibition in the gallery) Charles Babbage's calculating engines are among the most celebrated icons in the prehistory of computing. His Difference Engine No. 1 was the first successful automatic calculator and remains one of the finest examples of precision engineering of the time. The portion shown was assembled in 1832 by Babbage's engineer, Joseph Clement. It consists of about 2000 parts and represents one-seventh of the complete engine. This 'finished portion of the unfinished engine' was demonstrated to some acclaim by Babbage, and functions impeccably to this day. The engine was never completed and most of the 12 000 parts manufactured were later melted for scrap.
c. 1832
Portion of Babbage's calculating machine (Difference Engine No.1)
1976-1979
Personal Computer, model Apple I, devised by Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs and Ron Wayne, and made by Apple Inc, United States, 1976-1979.
1949
Phillips Economics Analog Computer, devised by Bill Phillips at the London School of Economics, 1949 known as MONIAC [Monetary National Income Analogue Computer]
Main frame, for Automatic Computing Engine (ACE) pilot model, made at the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, London, England, and some of the valves by Osram, Germany, 1949. The construction of the (ACE) pilot model was based on designs by Alan Turing.
1991
Difference Engine No.2, designed by Charles Babbage, 1847-1849, excludes printing mechanism. Engine built by Science Museum, completed June 1991. Size 2.1m high, 3.4m long, 0.5m wide
1997-2002
Nokia Mediamaster television set top box for use with ONdigital prepaid digital television service, made by Nokia, Sweden, 1997-2002
2006
Nintendo DS lite, model number USG-001, 2006, with original case.
1998
Nintendo Game Boy Color, model number CGB-001.
Replica of the 'Baby' or SSEM computer, built by the Computer Conservation Society in 1998. The original 'Baby' was the world's first stored-program computer and ran its first program on 21 June 1948.
1996
Nintendo Game Boy Pocket, model MGB-001.
1984
Artificial intelligence (neural network) computer built for pattern recognition 1981 (WISARD) and key
2001
Nintendo Game Boy Advance, model number AGB-001.
1947-2003
Replica model of the first transistor, made by UKAEA Harwell, Oxfordshire, England, United Kingdom, 1947-2003.
1983
Apple Lisa Personal Computer System, made by Apple, Cupertino, California, United States, 1983
1985
Gold plated BBC Micro computer with two 1-megabyte disc drives and keyboard, made by Acorn Computers Limited, Cambridge, England,1985. From 'The Micro User' competition.
1920-1930
Hollerith horizontal electrical sorting machine, no.7407, 45 column, invented by Herman Hollerith, and made by British Tabulating Machine Company Limited, Letchworth, Hertfordshire, England, 1920-1930
1994
Cisco Catalyst 1200 switch, made by Cisco Systems, Inc., United States, 1994. Serial number: 62007011. London Internet Exchange
1993
Apple Newton MessagePad and stylus, manufactured by Sharp for Apple, Japan, 1993
1965
Digital Equipment Corporation PDP - 8 minicomputer serial no.857, 1965
2011
Replica of original computer mouse prototype designed by Douglas Englebert in 1963 and patented in 1970, made by the Stanford Research Institute, California, United States, 2011.
Green screen monochrome monitor Model 5151-02, made by IBM USA, Taiwan, 1983. Serial number 5500156
IBM model 5150 System Unit with integral twin 5 1/4 inch disk drives, made by IBM, Greenock, Scotland, 1983. 64K memory, single-sided double density 5 1/4 40 tpi 106K drives
1982-1990
GRiD Compass laptop computer manufactured by the GRiD Systems Corporation, Fremont, California, United States, 1982-1990
1995
BT Voyager 2000 interactive TV system, i-TV box used in Video on Demand (VOD) and interactive TV trials in Colchester, made by Apple, assembled in Ireland, 1995
1968-1987
BESM-6 Supercomputer: Registers Cabinet type BRUS with two glass doors, control panel and desk; Control Unit type UU with two glass doors, control panel and desk; Arithmetic Unit type AU with two glass doors, control panel and desk; Peripheral Control Cabinet, type UVU with two glass doors, control panel and desk; possibly manufactured by Moscow Calculating Analytical Plant Machines, Russia, 1968-1987
c.1987
IBM 4731 model BH2 Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) (supported by Woolwich Building Society)
Processor Unit, with integral twin disk drives and monitor, Apple, Cupertino, California, 1983. Model no.A6SB100P, Serial no. B08B831240025
1982-1985
Spectrum microcomputer with 48K RAM , serial number 148-455954, manufactured by Sinclair Research Limited, assembled in Portugal, 1982-1985
1997
IBM ThinkPad 365e laptop computer, with Russian Cyrillic alphabet stickers on the keyboard keys, by IBM, Taiwan, 1997. This laptop computer was used in Helsinki, Finland.
Intel 386 processor, made by the Intel Corporation, United States, 1985
1972
Bookmakers settling machine, Genie 247. 8 digit display - vacuum-fluorescent tube, with an additional window for a 7-segment display. 4 function and betting functions. Made in England. 1972.
Apple Newton eMate 300 laptop, made by Apple Inc, 1997.
1986-1988
Philips CRT Computer Monitor 80, branded with Ferranti sticker on front.
1981-1985
ZX81 microcomputer, manufactured by Sinclair Research Limited, British, 1981
1951
Relay-operated logic machine designed by Dr. Wolfe Mays and Dr. Dietrich Prinz at the University of Manchester and made by Ferranti Limited, British, 1951
1984; 1983
'One Per Desk' microcomputer.
1980-1990
Apple II monitor A2M2010P
1987
Factory-sealed version of Apple's Hypercard software, made by Apple Inc, United States, 1985
Logic door from a Ferranti Mark I computer with 3 transformers and 42 valves in place, manufactured by Ferranti Limited, Moston, Manchester, England, 1951.
1998-2002
ON Digital set top box decoder card, used with digital terrestrial television (DTT) system, manufactured by ONDigital, 1998-2002
1974-1977
Closed Intel 8080 microprocessor chip, made by the Intel Corporation, United States, 1974-1977
1983-1991
Keyboard amd mouse for Apple Lisa computer, Apple, United States, 1983-1991. Keyboard model no.A6MB101, serial no. 1007252
Apple Inc. iMac G3 'Bondi Blue' personal computer, manufactured by Apple Inc., probably United States, 1998. Serial Number CK3441WBEUL.
1982-1984
BBC model B microcomputer, designed by Acorn Computers Limited and manufactured by ASTEC Components Limited, British, 1982-1984. Serial number 1,000,000
2010-2013
Apple TV digital media player, made by Apple, 2010-2013
1966-1970
Control unit for Honeywell DDP 516 computer, designed by the Computer Control Company Inc and manufactured by Honeywell Computer Control Division, United States, 1966-1970
YouView set top box for delivery of digital television services over a broadband internet connection, made by British Telecom, unknown place, 2010-2013
1958
Metal sub-unit containing valves and other electronic components mounted as presentation souvenir from LEO II, made by the English Electric Company, British, 1958
Operators Console from PDP 10 (system 1050) mainframe computer, made by Digital Equipment Company Limited, Massachusetts, United States, 1966-1970
