Minutes of the Computer Steering Group Committee, Court of Common Council, 1970-1984. Please note these records are closed.

Records of the Business Equipment Trade Association (BETA) and related organisations. The collection includes a complete run of 27 volumes of council minutes, from July 1951 to December 1980. The minutes reflect the association's preoccupation with its role as a public relations body, and with issues affecting its membership, such as VAT or decimalisation. Issues discussed reflect the changing commercial climate, illustrating the increased use of microelectronic technology, although individual products are seldom mentioned unless they are the subject of a dispute. Considerable time is also given over to general internal and administrative matters, and to the continued examination of BETA's aims and activities. Two divisional minute books provide a taste of the activities of the association's sections. Council working papers and correspondence include duplicate minutes of council meetings, reports to council on executive committee meetings, press cuttings, and correspondence relating to association luncheons. A sample of the association's journal is also included.

Papers of the British Computer Society and its library, comprising correspondence, minutes and reports, 1966-1977.

Records of the Department of Mathematics of Imperial College, 1903-1981, including histories of the department from 1910-1955; lecture notes, 1903-[1946]; report on the computer engine, 1948-1952; departmental correspondence, 1908-1947, notably of Professor John Perry, Professor Andrew Russell Forsyth, Professor Sydney Chapman, with the administration department, 1908-1928; proposed Mathematics Institute, 1947; Committee papers relating to departmental organisation, 1912-1926; Rectors' correspondence, 1955-1981, notably relating to the headship of the department.

Minutes of the Sociology Sub-Committee of the Academic Board, 1952-1953; Minutes of the Equipment Fund Committee, 1966-1985; [Minutes] of the Computer Services Committees, 1971-1981; Minutes, correspondence and papers of the Bedford College Group Committee (Training Colleges Scheme), 1928-1948; Minutes and papers of a Committee to Review the Structure of the Academic Board and its Sub-Committee, 1971-1978; Minutes of the Standing Joint Committee on Departmental Boards, 1969-1974; Minutes and papers of the Academic Structure Committee (CRAC), 1973-1975; [Minutes] of the Bedford/Westfield Joint Consultative Committee, 1977-1980; papers of the Academic Co-ordinating Committee, 1981; papers relating to the rotation of Departmental Headships,1973-1976; Minutes of the Arts Consumables Committee, 1975-1980; papers of the Audio-Visual Aids Committee, 1970-1980 and 1983; Minutes and correspondence of the Accommodation Sub-Committee (Use of Space), 1955-1961; papers and correspondence of the Space Utilisation Sub-Committee, 1969-1982.

Biographical material is not extensive. An overall sense of Davies's life and work is provided by the contents of his 'Personal' folder of biographical notes, curricula vitae, lists of publications, examples of projects undertaken, etc. There is a little material recording Davies's schooling and university education and some documentation of his career. An unusual insight into the companies for which Davies acted and individuals with whom he came into contact later in his career is given by a collection of his business cards, some annotated. Also documented in this section is Davies's interest in various types of puzzles. There is a little posthumous material, including obituaries. As a number of biographical papers have been retained in family hands, some of the material is photocopy only.

Research material forms the largest part of the collection. These materials were found in Davies's labelled 'transfer cases' or box files which form the basic unit of organisation. There is a sequence of 'Notes of Miscellaneous Scientific Work', covering an extended period, 1952-1996. The contents of many of the containers relate to Davies's security interests with material from 1970s onwards, for example 'Data Security MS Notes', 1978-1984 and 'Public Key Ciphers' (two containers), 1970-1997. Papers relating to packet switching are to be found in Section F Historical Topics.

Papers relating to lectures and publications, presents sequences of papers designated by Davies as either lectures of publications. The lectures sequence covers a relatively short period, 1990-1995, and relates to computer history and security questions. The publications material covers a much more extended period, 1956-2000, and includes off prints, photocopied papers and copies of the journals in which publications by Davies appeared. There may be additional material relating to Davies's lectures and publications in other sections of the catalogue, especially Research and Historical topics and Correspondence.

Societies and organisations, is not an extensive section, comprising just four bodies, covering the period 1987-2000: British Computer Society, International Council for Computer Communication (ICCC), Royal Society and Worshipful Company of Information Technologists.

Papers relating to consultancies, provides documentation, 1986-1998, relating to a small number of consultancies which Davies held after his retirement from the National Physics Laboratory.

Papers relating to historical topics, presents important documentation of some of Davies's most important research, such as packet switching, as well as interest he pursued in his spare time such as Second World War cipher machines. These materials were found in Davies's labelled 'transfer cases' or box files which form the basic unit of organisation. There are interesting records relating to early computers organised in relation to a meeting held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Pilot Model ACE (Automated Computing Engine) in the year 2000. Packet switching is represented by a sequence 'Historical Notes / Early Packet Switching etc' 1949-2000, which includes copies of original documentation and historical reflections by Davies and others. There is an extensive record of Davies's interest in the history of cryptography including correspondence with others who shared his interests, typescript drafts of articles by Davies, photographs and photocopies of original documentation. Also represented in the section are Davies's interests in the history of the National Physics Laboratory itself and the Turing Machine.

Correspondence, is not extensive and is presented in four sequences. The first is the contents of Davies's folder of 'Misc. Correspondence', 1970-2000. Although the great bulk comes from the last fifteen years of Davies's life, the sequence also includes three letters from Sara Turing, mother of Alan Turing, 1970-1971, relating principally to their mutual interest in Second World War German cipher machines; of publications correspondence, 1988-1999; and of correspondence relating to a patent case 1994-2001. There is also an index of correspondence.

Papers of William Sydney Elliott 1917 - 2000, comprising biographical material, papers relating to his wartime work including radio-operated fuze and radar including anti-clutter, 1940 - 1946. The documentation comprises correspondence, manuscript and typescript drafts and copies of reports and memoranda. There is also later (to 1993) correspondence and papers relating to the history of radar.

Substantial papers on his early computer work, relating principally to developments at Elliott Brothers and Ferranti Ltd. They include a few original documents, more photocopied material and an extensive late correspondence with fellow computer pioneers and others interested in computer history with manuscript notes of recollections etc, 1948-1996.

There are only three item relating to his time at Cambridge University.

Papers relating to his work at Imperial College London focusing less on his research and more the on his teaching commitments to computer science for the period 1970 - 1972. The research records relate to work funded by Science Research Council and the Department of Trade and Industry. There are manuscripts and typescript drafts, transparencies hand-outs etc for Elliott's teaching on computer architecture and computer design, and CAD and graphics, 1974 - 1983.

Papers relating to lectures, document a number of Elliott's invitations and public lectures, 1962 - 1990. Topics include the computer industry, computer manufacture, CAD and early computer history and several visits to Australia are represented by lectures material.

Publications including a set of off-prints and photocopies of Elliott's publications, 1940-1978, and correspondence and drafts relating to publications, 1968 - 1989.

Papers relating to visits and conferences presents documentation of a small number of visits made and conferences attended, 1949 - 1985. The most substantial documentation relates to Sperry-Univac symposia on CAD and CAE (computer aided engineering) in 1981 and 1982 and a symposium organised by the Fellowship of Engineering on the social and cultural challenge of modern technology in 1983.

Substantial papers relating to his advisory and consultancy work. There are records of Elliott's role as adviser to the government departments on computer matters, especially the Ministry of Technology, 1966 - 1969, and the Ministry of Industry 1976. There are extensive records of Elliott's consultancy work in CAD and the development of automatic office systems. Companies and organisations represented include Lloyd's Register of Shipping, European Space Research Organisation, Unilever, and Wellworthy Ltd (associated Engineering group).

Non-textual material comprises photographs and photographic slides, films, computer disks and technical drawings, 1962 - 1988 though there are undated items relating to Elliott Brothers.

Minutes, with some reports, of the Computer Sub-Committee, Court of Common Council, 1983. Also Assistant City Treasurer's Report A Computer Development Strategy for the Eighties at the City of London. Please note these records are closed until 2014.

Papers, 1938-1983, mostly concerning the Hollerith (prototype computer) and the Army Statistics Club, including printed booklet entitled 'The Inns of Court Regiment (the Devil's Own)', 1938; newspaper cuttings and obituaries, 1944-1983, with nine photographs relating to Webster's Army career, notably photographs of 25 pounder gun and crew [1944]; printed volume entitled 'Administrative history of 21 Army Group, 6 Jun 1944-8 May 1945' (Restricted publication, 1945); eight typescript editions of 'The Bulletin of the Stats Club', 1949-1953, with related administrative correspondence, 1946-1979; two editions of The Tabulator. A journal devoted to Hollerith electrical punched card accounting, 1953 and 1958; edition of 'The history of 353 (London) Medium Regt RA (TA), 1861-1961' by Maj B J Grimwood, Col John Ewart Marnham and Lt Col E H Beasley [1962].

Papers of J R Edmonds, 1895-1917, comprising typescripts of papers read before Woolwich Polytechnic Engineering Society, on 'Pumps', 1896; 'The Slide Rule', 1898; 'Steam Turbines', 1903; notes on 'Motor Cars', 1896, 'Florence Nightingale', 1913; 'Women's Co-Operative Guild', [c 1905]; printed lectures on Experiments on a Simple Non-Condensing Steam Engine, 1900; De Laval Steam Turbines, 1902; Design of Marine Steam Turbines, 1908; Channel Tunnel, 1913, 1917.