Guide to the Victor W. D. Hale Papers
Elizabeth Borchardt
Computer History Museum
1401 N. Shoreline Blvd.
Mountain View, California 94043
Phone: (650) 810-1010
Email: research@computerhistory.org
URL: http://www.computerhistory.org
© 2007
Computer History Museum. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Victor W. D. Hale Papers
Collection number: X3115.2005
Computer History Museum
- Processed by:
- Elizabeth Borchardt
- Date Completed:
- September 17, 2007
- Encoded by:
- Elizabeth Borchardt
© 2007 Computer History Museum. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Guide to the Victor W. D. Hale Papers
Dates: 1948-1949
Collection number: X3115.2005
Creator:
Hale, Victor W. D.
Collection Size:
.25 linear feet
15 folders
Repository:
Computer History Museum
Abstract: The Victor W. D. Hale papers consist of two series - one devoted to the Conference on high-speed automatic calculating machines
held at the Cambridge University Mathematical Laboratory June 22-25, 1949, and one consisting of papers relating to EDSAC
from both before and after the conference.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
The Computer History Museum can only claim physical ownership of the collection. Users are responsible for satisfying any
claims of the copyright holder. Permission to copy or publish any portion of the Computer History Museum's collection must
be given by the Computer History Museum.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of Item], [Date], Victor W. D. Hale papers, Lot X3115.2005, Box [#], Folder [#], Computer History Museum
Provenance
The Victor W. D. Hale papers were purchased by the Computer History Museum at the Origins of Cyberspace held by Christie's
auction house in 2005.
Biography / Administrative History
Victor W. D. Hale worked as a code breaker at Bletchley Park, England during World War II. After the war, he was associated
with Trinity College, but it is not certain in what capacity (student or professor). In the fall of 1949, he joined the Department
of Mathematics at the University of Hull. In the early 1960s, he moved to York University where he was a Senior Lecturer and
was head of the department from 1966 to 1967. He retired in 1987 and died in 2004.
Historical Note
The "Conference on high-speed automatic calculating machines" took place at the Cambridge University Mathematical Laboratory
June 22-25, 1949. The conference was hosted by the laboratory's director, Maurice V. Wilkes. Approximately 100 scholars
attended the four day conference. The following are some of the session presented during the conference:
- Survey of the present position of work on automatic digital computers
- The EDSAC
- Demonstration of the EDSAC
- The Automatic Relay Computer
- Cathode Ray Tube Storage
- Discussion on programming and coding
- French computing machine projects
- Some routines involving large integers
- Checking processes for large routines
- Discussion of permanent and semi-permanent storage facilities
- Discussion on checking procedure and circuits
- Computing machines: plans, projects and general ideas
Scope and Content of Collection
The Victor W. D. Hale papers are grouped into two series. The Conference papers series contains papers relating to the Conference
on high-speed automatic calculating machines held at the Cambridge University Mathematical Laboratory June 22-25, 1949. Of
note is the information given to attendees such as a list of those attending, printouts from EDSAC, copies of papers presented
in some of the sessions, and handwritten notes by Victor Hale.
The EDSAC papers series contains papers relating to EDSAC itself from both before and after the conference. Of note are handwritten
notes of a routine to calculate square roots and the accompanying EDSAC coding sheets by Victor Hale, which may be the earliest
coding notes and sheets for EDSAC extant, as well as blueprint diagrams of EDSAC's order interpretation sent to Hale by Eric
Mutch.
Arrangement
- Series 1. Conference Papers
- Series 2. EDSAC Papers
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Cambridge University Mathematical Laboratory
Cambridge computer conference
Computers
Conference on high-speed automatic calculating machines
EDSAC (Computer)
Electronic Digital Computers
Hale, Victor W. D.
Wilkes, Maurice V.
Box 1
Conference Papers
1949
Creator:
Hale, Victor W. D.
Physical Description: 9 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
Papers relating to the Conference on high-speed automatic calculating machines held at the Cambridge University Mathematical
Laboratory June 22-25, 1949. Of note is the information given to attendees such as a list of those attending, printouts from
EDSAC, copies of papers presented in some of the sessions, and handwritten notes by Victor Hale.
102683935
Cambridge computer conference attendee information packet
June 1949
102683932
EDSAC printouts of tables of square and prime numbers from Cambridge computer conference
1949
102683929
Handwritten notes from Cambridge computer conference sessions taken by Victor W. D. Hale
June 1949
102683936
List of the Cambridge computer conference attendees
June 1949
102683937
Personal invitation to a reception during the Cambridge computer conference
June 1949
102683934
Preliminary letter and program from the Cambridge computer conference
1949
102683930
References on recent advances in calculating machines
June 1949
102683933
Short paper titled "The Co-ordinating Orders" indicating the need for sub-routines
1949
102683931
Three papers from session of the Cambridge computer conference
1949
Box 1
EDSAC Papers
1948-1949
Creator:
Hale, Victor W. D.
Physical Description: 6 folders
Series Scope and Content Summary
Papers relating to EDSAC itself from both before and after the conference. Of note are handwritten notes of a routine to
calculate square roots and the accompanying EDSAC coding sheets by Victor Hale, which may be the earliest coding notes and
sheets for EDSAC extant, as well as blueprint diagrams of EDSAC’s order interpretation sent to Hale by Eric Mutch.
102683938
EDSAC Order Code edition 4 July 1948
July 1948
102683940
EDSAC coding sheets for Victor Hale's routine for calculating square roots
1948 ca.
102683939
Handwritten notes on a routine for calculating square roots on the EDSAC
1948 ca.
102683941
Letter from Eric Mutch concerning EDSAC order interpretation including EDSAC order code specifications
November 26, 1949
102683942
Letter from Eric Mutch with detailed order interpretation information
December 8, 1949
102683943
Blueprint diagrams of EDSAC's half minor cycles, stage 1, stage 2, and an untitled flow chart