2012 Retrospective

The Editor looks back at the year 2012 in Polari and how it has explored the LGBT subculture. Part 2: Queer Year.

How Turing’s Ideas Were Borne From Death.

The love of Alan Turing for Christopher Morcom shaped his career. Morcom’s death changed how Turing thought about the possibilities of mathematics and the place of the spirit in it.

“After the loss for Morcom, Turing started to puzzle out the nature of mind and spirit, and its relationship with the physical machine, the body. It was this creative leap that drove his career.”

A Selection of Images from Bletchley Park.

A gallery of images from Bletchley Park, home to the National Codes Centre and the National Museum of Computing, for the Turing centenary.

“Today Bletchley is open to the public where its secrets have been laid bare. Home to the National Codes Centre and the National Museum of Computing, it is a fascinating place of historic interest.”

Suicide, Accident or Murder?

When Alan Turing died in June 1954, the coroner ruled that it was suicide, and no further investigation was undertaken. That conclusion, nevertheless, does not square with the facts.

“There was no cover up because no one was asking questions. The significance of Turing’s work, and his position on the political chessboard, was hidden under a veil of secrecy.”

Science Museum, Exhibition Road, London SW7 2DD • June 21, 2012 – July 31, 2013

The Science Museum’s contribution to the Turing centenary, the exhibition Codebreaker – Alan Turing’s Life and Legacy, is a first rate insight into his work.

“Codebreaker is an astutely thought-out tribute to mark the centenary of Alan Turing’s birth on June 23.”

The Fourth Plinth.

Sign the petition to erect a statue of Alan Turing on the fourth plinth at Trafalgar Square.

“Alan Turing is considered to be the father of computer science, the father of artificial intelligence, and the father of mathematical biology, a record second-to-none in importance today.”

The Story of the Turing Pardon, Part Two.

A look at the petition to pardon Turing for ‘gross indecency’, as well as the social and historical significance of the pardon.

“This is the official Turing Centenary and so it is the ideal time to take a stand against obsolete ideas about homosexuality, and to honour one of the most important and pivotal figures in British history..”

The Story of the Turing Pardon, Part One.

A look at how Alan Turing’s secret work was finally acknowledged in the 1980s and the British government’s 2009 public apology for Turing’s treatment.

“Alan Turing’s work on cracking Enigma, and building a computer designed to play a part in the development of a British atomic bomb, was not part of the record. He was branded a “security risk” and duly sacrificed.”

A Genius Martyred.

A look at the circumstances that led to Turing’s criminal conviction for homosexual conduct in 1952, and his death in 1954

“Alan Turing’s work on cracking Enigma, and building a computer designed to play a part in the development of a British atomic bomb, was not part of the record. He was branded a “security risk” and duly sacrificed.”