Alan Turing 23 June 1912 – 7 June 1954

[anteros_lmc]

I had thought about posting something about Alan Turing today to commemorate the centenary of his birth but I don't think there's anything I could say that eglantine_br hasn't already said more eloquently in her beautiful tribute here. What I can add is the picture of Turing as a child that Eglantine writes about.


As Eglantine said:

I wish he could have lived in a world that honored him for who he really was. He deserved that. Everyone does.

Comments

[mylodon.livejournal.com]

With the benefit of hindsight, one sees in that child's face the root of his downfall. Too much trust and unbending honesty.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Yes, he has a wonderfully open and inquisitie looking face doesn't he?

Did you see this lovely picture of his statue taken on Saturday? He looks rather surprised and delighted with all his gifts!

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

I hadn't seen that - hadn't ever seen the statue. Would like to see it close up and find out how much like him it is!

*mwah*

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

The statue is in Whitworth Gardens not far from Canal Street. There's a rather nice wikipedia entry on it here. Derek Jacobi was the patron of the fund raising efforts.

I'm actually going to Manchester for a meeting tomorrow, if I have time before catching my train, I'll go and take some pictures for you.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Ooh. Thank you!

[amaraal.livejournal.com]

He was a genius and he deserved a better treatment. Both - during his lifetime and after his death. Helping to decrypt the ENIGMA codes saved many peoples lives. RIP.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Yes you're right, he did save many, many lives, I've never really thought about it like that before. We all owe him so much. I'm glad his genius is finally being recognised and celebrated but it's poor recompense for the the way he was hounded and persecuted.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

The problem is that nobody knew what he'd done. Only a small inner circle knew about Bletchley and the role it played (and the wrangling/jealousy it caused within forces circles). It's only years later that it all emerged.

Poor lad. Such a hero of mine.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I guess it's easy for us to forget that it's only very recently that the role played by Bletchly park was officially revealed, never mind the contribution of the men and women that served there, and Turing above all.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

*nods* You've got it in one. So when people say "Why didn't people help him when he was arrested, given what he'd done for his country?" one of the answers is "they wouldn't have known what he'd done!".

[ashley-pitt.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your great words.
Things would have been a might differnet if Alan Turing had not been born.
WWII's outcome may have been changed.
And I am not sure LJ would even exist.

I heard a rumour that the Apple logo has a bite out of it in homage to Mr. Turning.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

Yes, you have to wonder where we might be now, had it not been for Alan Turing. We all of us owe him a great debt of gratitude.

Interesting about the apple logo, I hadn't heard that before. I'll always think of Turing when I open my mac now!

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

Daily Beast has an excerpt from an essay his brother wrote about him after his death. Turing's family does not seem to have been warm or accepting.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

I must look that up. I don't know much about his family background. I bought a copy of Andrew Hodges bio of Turing some time ago, but I never got round to reading it so I gave it to mylodon as I couldn't bear for it to sit there on my shelf unread.

[charliecochrane.livejournal.com]

Turing had a childhood typical of his time (parents abroad, him and the brother farmed off). So sad. I think his mother was fairly supportive, especially in later life. She wrote his first biography.

[eglantine-br.livejournal.com]

Me again-- I just keep coming back to look at that little face. He is not four or five, I think he may be more like 3. So little. And there is such innocent hope and expectation in that face.

As an older man he just looked tired.

[anteros-lmc.livejournal.com]

It's an absolutely captivating photograph isn't it? I keep coming back to look at it again too. Did you see this lovely picture of his statue in Manchester University taken on Saturday?