Latest news with #NormanRoutledge
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alan Turing papers found in loft set to fetch £150K after nearly being shredded
Scientific papers by codebreaking war hero Alan Turing which were discovered in a loft are expected to fetch £150,000 at auction - after almost being shredded. The incredible archive was found gathering dust in an attic in Bermondsey, London, after its owner moved into a care home and her daughters began clearing out her loft. Among the documents which were nearly destroyed was a personal copy of the mathematical genius' PHD dissertation from 1938-39 and his first published paper from 1935. The papers, known as "offprints", had originally been gifted by Turing's mother, Ethel to her son's friend and fellow mathematician Norman Routledge. They were produced in very small numbers and distributed within academia, making them "incredibly scarce" survivors that rarely ever appear on the market. The documents were nearly destroyed. (Image: SWNS) The collection is now expected to sell for between £100,000-£150,000 when it goes under the hammer at Rare Book Auctions in Lichfield, Staffs, on June 17. Turing was one of the famous codebreakers at Bletchley Park who played a vital role in cracking the Enigma code, which led to Allied victory in World War Two. Despite helping to shorten the war by an estimated four years, on March 31 1952, he was prosecuted for homosexual acts and died from cyanide poisoning on June 7, 1954, aged 41. Shortly before pleading guilty, Turing sent a poignant letter to Norman Routledge, the original owner of the papers being sold. The letter, known as 'Yours in distress', was read by Routledge when he appeared in "The Strange Life and Death of Dr Turing" on the BBC's Horizon in 1992. It has also since been read by Benedict Cumberbatch after it was presented by Routledge to King's College, Cambridge, where it now resides in The Turing Archive. The collection is expected to make £150k. (Image: SWNS) But he kept the collection of Turing's offprints, which were eventually rescued by his nieces and nephews. One of the nieces explained: 'Following his retirement from Eton College, Norman bought and lived in a house in Bermondsey. "When he died in 2013, two of his sisters had the unenviable task of sorting through and emptying the contents. "There were lots of personal papers which one sister carted away and stored in her loft. The papers lay dormant until she moved into a care home almost a decade later. "Her daughters came across the papers and considered shredding everything. "Fortunately, they checked with Norman's nieces and nephews because he'd always been a presence in our lives. The papers were saved by Turing's friend, Norman. (Image: SWNS) Adding: "One cousin felt the Turing and Forster papers might be of interest to collectors. "After taking them home for a closer look, she decided to attend a local valuation day hosted by Hansons Auctioneers, who consigned them for research with their specialist saleroom, Rare Book Auctions. "We were bowled over by the valuations and level of enthusiasm.' The collection includes his PhD dissertation from 1938-39, Systems of Logic Based on Ordinals, which is signed by Turing, having been his personal copy. This document alone has been valued by the auction house at £40,000 to £60,000 as has his 1936-37 paper entitled On Computable Numbers. The paper introduced the world to the idea of a 'universal computing machine', which, despite the model's simplicity, is capable of implementing any computer algorithm, and has been described as the first programming manual of the computer age. The papers have been checked by experts. (Image: SWNS) Jim Spencer, director of Rare Book Auctions, who is more famed for finding Harry Potter first editions, described the collection as "the most important archive I've ever handled.' He said the exchange of offprints had historically been a method of correspondence between scholars and is prized by collectors as representing the first separate edition of an important work. He added: 'Nothing could've prepared me for what I was about to find in that carrier bag. "These seemingly plain papers-perfectly preserved in the muted colours of their unadorned, academic wrappers - represent the foundations of computer science and modern digital computing. "Literature has always been my forte, not mathematics, so the past few months of intensively researching and cataloguing these papers has left me feeling that Alan Turing was superhuman. The collection includes letters. (Image: SWNS) "For me, it's like studying the language of another planet, something composed by an ultra-intelligent civilisation." The collection also includes The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis, which dates from 1952, and is Turing's lesser-known masterpiece of mathematical biology. It has since become a basic model in theoretical biology, describing what have come to be known as 'Turing patterns'. Mr Spencer said: 'As recently as 2023, a study confirmed Turing's mathematical model hypothesis as outlined in The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis. "In this way the papers are still alive. They're still relevant and groundbreaking. 'We even have Turing's first published paper from 1935 – Equivalence of Left and Right Almost Periodicity – which is simply a single sheet of paper. The collection is set to get interest from around the world. (Image: SWNS) "And the provenance couldn't be better. The archive was gifted to Turing's friend and fellow mathematician Norman Arthur Routledge (1928-2013) by Turing's mother Ethel - and we have her handwritten letter explaining this." In the letter, dated May 16, 1956, Ethel Turing says: 'I have to-day sent by registered post 13 of Alan's off-prints...I don't know what people in Cambridge thought of the manner of Alan's death. "I am convinced it was accidental as the experiment of coke under electrolysis – which smelt of cyanide had been going on for weeks – I feel sure he got some of this on his fingers & so on to the apple he customarily ate in bed...I have had some requests to write a biography of Alan...I have masses of material because from the time he was about 6 I spotted a winner – despite many detractors at school – and kept many papers about him.' Mr Spencer added: "This fascinating letter is a golden thread that neatly ties up and seals the authenticity of everything being offered. "The potential value compels us to offer the papers individually. The price is unknown and could run to any amount. Recommended Reading London company allowed to keep name as lawsuit dropped Beckenham woman befriends stray dog in Bali to bring home London chimney sweeper shares what the job is really like 'Anything with a direct connection to Turing is highly desirable and almost impossible to find. "These papers were owned by his close friend Norman, having been gifted to him by Turing's mother. That's what makes this collection so significant. 'Hardly anything like this appears on the open market, so predicting hammer prices is fortune-telling." Adding: "I suspect interest will be strong in Silicon Valley – where Turing's influence shines brightly – but it would be lovely to see material acquired by institutions who could share things with the public."
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Lost Alan Turing papers, rediscovered in loft, to go under the hammer
Lost scientific papers of World War II codebreaker Alan Turing, rescued from a loft and then nearly destroyed, are set to go under the hammer in June. The archive, expected to fetch thousands of pounds, offers a glimpse into the mind of the brilliant mathematician. Among the rediscovered treasures is a signed personal copy of Mr Turing's 1939 PhD dissertation, Systems Of Logic Based On Ordinals, a work exploring the foundations of mathematical logic. The archive also contains On Computable Numbers from 1937, a paper considered by many to be the first programming manual of the computer age. Rare Book Auctions in Lichfield, Staffordshire, which is managing the sale, revealed the provenance of the papers. Originally gifted to Mr Turing's friend and fellow mathematician Norman Routledge by Mr Turing's mother, Ethel, the collection became a hidden gem, tucked away for decades. These 'offprints', as they are known, were academic papers produced in limited numbers for circulation within scholarly circles. Mr Turing's PhD dissertation alone carries a pre-auction estimate of £40,000 to £60,000. The collection also includes correspondence from renowned novelist E.M. Forster. Following Mr Routledge's death, the papers were moved to a relative's loft after his Bermondsey home was cleared, narrowly escaping destruction. One of Mr Routledge's nieces said: 'When he died in 2013, two of his sisters had the unenviable task of sorting through and emptying the contents. 'There were lots of personal papers which one sister carted away and stored in her loft. The papers lay dormant until she moved into a care home almost a decade later. 'Her daughters came across the papers and considered shredding everything. Fortunately, they checked with Norman's nieces and nephews because he'd always been a presence in our lives. 'Norman was an amazing man who showed genuine interest in everyone he came into contact with. His family were very important to him. He kept in regular contact and was interested in what each one was doing. 'We finally had an opportunity to see Norman's papers when the family hosted a 'Routledge Reunion' weekend in November 2024.' The papers were brought along in a carrier bag, the woman said. 'One cousin felt the Turing and Forster papers might be of interest to collectors.' Jim Spencer, director of Rare Book Auctions, described the collection as 'the most important archive I've ever handled', adding: 'Nothing could've prepared me for what I was about to find in that carrier bag.' He said: 'These seemingly plain papers – perfectly preserved in the muted colours of their unadorned, academic wrappers – represent the foundations of computer science and modern digital computing. 'Literature has always been my forte, not mathematics, so the past few months of intensively researching and cataloguing these papers has left me feeling that Alan Turing was superhuman.' It was like 'studying the language of another planet, something composed by an ultra-intelligent civilisation', Mr Spencer said. 'It's at least comforting to know that he lives on through his work. He survives through his legacy.' The collection also includes The Chemical Basis Of Morphogenesis. Dating from 1952, it is Mr Turing's lesser-known masterpiece of mathematical biology, and his last major published work. A single piece of paper which was Mr Turing's first published paper in 1935, Equivalence Of Left And Right Almost Periodicity, also forms part of the archive. It was gifted to Mr Routledge by Mr Turing's mother Ethel and her handwritten letter dated 16 May 1956 is also included. The letter reads: 'I have to-day sent by registered post 13 of Alan's off-prints…I have had some requests to write a biography of Alan…I have masses of material because from the time he was about 6 I spotted a winner – despite many detractors at school – and kept many papers about him.' Mr Spencer added: 'This fascinating letter is a golden thread that neatly ties up and seals the authenticity of everything being offered.' The Alan Turing Papers: The Collection Of Norman Routledge (1928-2013) will be held on 17 June by Rare Book Auctions, Lichfield. Bidding will be available worldwide.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Alan Turing papers saved from shredder to be sold in Lichfield
Papers written by World War Two codebreaker Alan Turing are to go up for auction after they were found in a loft and almost 1930s collection, which included a copy of Turing's PhD dissertation, is expected to make tens of thousands of pounds when it goes under the hammer in Lichfield, Staffordshire, on 17 considered by many as the father of modern computing, played a key role in WW2 in helping to break the German Enigma codes at Bletchley Book Auctions, which is handling the sale, said the papers were originally gifted to Turing's friend and fellow mathematician Norman Routledge. After Mr Routledge died in 2013, the documents were found at his home in Bermondsey, London, and taken away by one of his of Mr Routledge's nieces, who has not been named, said they were untouched for years until the sister moved into a care daughters found the collection and "considered shredding everything" before they checked with the nieces and nephews. The niece said the family were "bowled over by the valuations and level of enthusiasm" after the collection was inspected by Rare Book papers were called offprints and were used as a method of correspondence between PhD dissertation from 1938 or 1939, called Systems of Logic Based on Ordinals, is signed by Turing and has been valued at £40,000 to £60, paper called On Computable Numbers from 1936 or 37, which introduced the world to the idea of a "universal computing machine", was also valued at £40,000 to £60, collection also includes a letter from Turing's mother Ethel, dated 16 May 1956, in which she wrote about the manner of her son's death and requests for her to write a biography. Jim Spencer, director of Rare Book Auctions, described the collection as "the most important archive" he had ever handled."These seemingly plain papers - perfectly preserved in the muted colours of their unadorned, academic wrappers - represent the foundations of computer science and modern digital computing," he WW2 Turing invented the idea of a machine that could decode and perform any set of instructions and a decade later would design an electronic computer, capable of running any he was prosecuted for homosexual acts in 1952 and was chemically castrated before he died from cyanide poisoning in 1954, with an inquest concluding received a posthumous royal pardon for his conviction in 2013. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Alan Turing papers found in loft and nearly shredded to be auctioned
Scientific papers belonging to Second World War codebreaker Alan Turing which were discovered in a loft and nearly shredded are expected to fetch thousands of pounds at auction next month. The archive of papers belonging to the mathematician include a signed personal copy of his 1939 PhD dissertation Systems Of Logic Based On Ordinals' and On Computable Numbers from 1937, described as the first programming manual of the computer age. Rare Book Auctions in Lichfield, Staffordshire, the firm handling the sale, revealed the archive had originally been gifted to Turing's friend and fellow mathematician Norman Routledge by his mother Ethel. The papers, known as 'offprints', were produced in small numbers and distributed within academia, making them scarce survivors that rarely appear on the market. Turing's PhD alone has been valued at between £40,000 and £60,000 by the auction house. Routledge kept the papers, which also included letters from novelist EM Forster, and on his death they were taken to a relative's loft after his Bermondsey home was cleared out. Explaining how they were rediscovered, one of Routledge's nieces said: 'When he died in 2013, two of his sisters had the unenviable task of sorting through and emptying the contents. 'There were lots of personal papers which one sister carted away and stored in her loft. The papers lay dormant until she moved into a care home almost a decade later. 'Her daughters came across the papers and considered shredding everything. Fortunately, they checked with Norman's nieces and nephews because he'd always been a presence in our lives. 'Norman was an amazing man who showed genuine interest in everyone he came into contact with. His family were very important to him. He kept in regular contact and was interested in what each one was doing. 'We finally had an opportunity to see Norman's papers when the family hosted a 'Routledge Reunion' weekend in November 2024. 'The papers were brought along in a carrier bag. One cousin felt the Turing and Forster papers might be of interest to collectors.' Jim Spencer, director of Rare Book Auctions, described the collection as 'the most important archive I've ever handled', adding: 'Nothing could've prepared me for what I was about to find in that carrier bag.' He said: 'These seemingly plain papers – perfectly preserved in the muted colours of their unadorned, academic wrappers – represent the foundations of computer science and modern digital computing. ' Literature has always been my forte, not mathematics, so the past few months of intensively researching and cataloguing these papers has left me feeling that Alan Turing was superhuman. 'For me, it's like studying the language of another planet, something composed by an ultra-intelligent civilisation. 'It's at least comforting to know that he lives on through his work. He survives through his legacy.' The collection also includes The Chemical Basis Of Morphogenesis. Dating from 1952, it is Turing's lesser-known masterpiece of mathematical biology, and his last major published work. A single piece of paper which was Turing's first published paper in 1935, Equivalence Of Left And Right Almost Periodicity, also forms part of the archive. It was gifted to Routledge by Turing's mother Ethel and her handwritten letter dated May 16 1956 is also included. The letter reads: 'I have to-day sent by registered post 13 of Alan's off-prints…I have had some requests to write a biography of Alan…I have masses of material because from the time he was about 6 I spotted a winner – despite many detractors at school – and kept many papers about him.' Spencer added: 'This fascinating letter is a golden thread that neatly ties up and seals the authenticity of everything being offered.' The Alan Turing Papers: The Collection Of Norman Routledge (1928-2013) will be held on June 17 by Rare Book Auctions, Lichfield. Bidding will be available worldwide.
Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Alan Turing's papers nearly shredded after being found in a loft
A cache of papers found in a loft and almost shredded is expected to fetch £150,000 after it was identified as the pioneering work of Alan Turing. The papers, described as the foundations of computer science, include the wartime codebreaker's signed copy of his 1938 PhD dissertation, Systems of Logic Based on Ordinals. It is valued between £40,000 and £60,000. Also included is his paper On Computable Numbers, also known as Turing's Proof, which introduced the world to the idea of a universal computing machine in 1936. It is has been described as the first programming manual of the computer age, and also has a guide price of £40,000 to £60,000. Turing played a vital role in cracking the German Enigma code, crucial to the Allied victory in the Second World War. But he was later persecuted for being a homosexual and took his own life in 1954 at the age of 41. After his death his mother, Ethel Sara Turing, gave her son's papers to Norman Routledge, a loyal friend of Turing and fellow mathematician. She wrote Routledge a covering letter in which she said her late son 'always believed that he had a gift'. She also expressed her doubts his death was suicide, stating she was convinced it was accidental poisoning by cyanide. Before he pleaded guilty to the criminal charge of gross indecency for homosexual acts in 1952, Turing sent Routledge a poignant letter known as 'Yours in distress'. Benedict Cumberbatch, who played Turing in the 2014 film The Imitation Game, has been recorded reading out the letter. Routledge kept the papers for the rest of his life, storing them in the loft of his home in Bermondsey, south London. After his death in 2013, his sister stored them in her attic. When she moved into a care home, her daughters were on the verge of putting them in a shredder with her other documents, but a relative advised seeking an expert opinion. Jim Spencer, of Rare Book Auctions of Lichfield, was stunned when he opened the carrier bag full of documents at a valuation day. He said: 'These seemingly plain papers – perfectly preserved in the muted colours of their unadorned, academic wrappers – represent the foundations of computer science and modern digital computing.' He explained that the papers, known as offprints, were produced in very small numbers and distributed among fellow scholars, making them incredibly scarce survivors. The sale takes place on June 17. The 13 lots of the Turing Papers also include The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis, from 1952. This, it is said, is Turing's lesser known masterpiece of mathematical biology, and his last major published work. It has since become a basic model in theoretical biology. There are also letters written to Routledge from EM Forster, the novelist. One of his nieces said: 'Norman was an amazing man who showed genuine interest in everyone he came into contact with. His family were very important to him. He kept in regular contact and was interested in what each one was doing.'
