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Tony Sale

December 02, 2023

Anthony Edgar "Tony" Sale, FBCS (30 January 1931 – 28 August 2011) was a British electronic engineer, computer programmer, computer hardware engineer, and historian of computing. He led the construction of a fully functional Mark 2 Colossus computer between 1993 and 2008.[1][2] The rebuild is exhibited at The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park in England.[3]

Tony Sale with the rebuilt Colossus computer
A team led by Tony Sale began a reconstruction of a Colossus computer at The National Museum of Computing

Life edit

He was educated at Dulwich College in south London,[4] During his adolescence he built George the robot out of Meccano, and continued working on it until it reached a fourth version in 1949, when it was given much media coverage.[5][6] Sale joined the Royal Air Force in 1949, serving until 1952. During his three years in the RAF, Sale gained a commission and reached the rank of Flying Officer. He was an instructor at RAF Officers Radar School at RAF Debden.[6] Sale worked as an engineer for MI5 under Peter Wright in the 1950s.[4]

Between 1992 and 2007, Sale and volunteers rebuilt a functioning replica of the Colossus (computer) Mark II which is on display at The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park.[7][8]

Sale and his wife Margaret had three children and seven grandchildren. Margaret continued as a volunteer guide at the museum for many years after Tony's death.

Work edit

Sale worked with Marconi Research Laboratories, was Technical Director of the British Computer Society and managed the Computer Restoration Project at the Science Museum.[9]

After becoming interested in computers, he joined the British Computer Society (BCS) in 1965 as Associate Member, being elected to Member in 1967, Fellow in 1988 and Honorary Fellow in 1996. He was elected to the Council of the BCS for the period 1967–70. In 1965, was a founder member of the Bedfordshire branch of the BCS and was named Chairman in 1979.[9]

In 1989, Sale was appointed a senior curator at the Science Museum in London and worked with Doron Swade to restore some of the museum's computer holdings.[4] He was part of the group that started the Computer Conservation Society in 1989 and was associated with the Bletchley Park Trust from 1992 onwards.[10] In 1991, he joined the campaign to save Bletchley Park from housing development.

In 1992, he was Secretary to the newly formed Bletchley Park Trust, later unpaid Museums Director in 1994.[9] In 1993 he started the Colossus Rebuild Project, inaugurated in 1994,[11] to build a functioning replica of the Colossus computer developed and built by Tommy Flowers at the Post Office Research Station at Dollis Hill in 1943.

Sale lectured on wartime code breaking in the UK, Europe and the US. He was technical adviser for the 2001 film Enigma.[12]

Sale's web site, Codes and Ciphers in the Second World War is a source of information on aspects of World War II code breaking. His booklet Colossus 1943–1996[13] outlines the breaking of the German Lorenz cipher and his remarkable rebuilding of the Colossus computer.

 
Front view of the Colossus rebuild showing, from right to left (1) The "bedstead" containing the message tape in its continuous loop and with a second one loaded. (2) The J-rack containing the Selection Panel and Plug Panel. (3) The K-rack with the large "Q" switch panel and sloping patch panel. (4) The double S-rack containing the control panel and, above the image of a postage stamp, five two-line counter displays. (5) The electric typewriter in front of the five sets of four "set total" decade switches in the C-rack.[14][15]

Honours edit

As a result of his Colossus rebuild work,[7] Sale was awarded the Comdex IT Personality of the Year for 1997.[16] He also received the 2000 Royal Scottish Society of Arts Silver Medal.[17]

After his death, the British Computer Conservation Society established in 2012 the Tony Sale Award for Computer Conservation and Restoration. It comprises a trophy and a travel bursary.[18]

In September 2019, Sale was posthumously awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the National Museum of Computing.[19]

References edit

  1. ^ Sale, Tony. "Video of Tony Sale talking about rebuilt Colossus 2008-6-19". Retrieved 13 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Tony Sale obituary". The Guardian. 31 August 2011.
  3. ^ Colossus – The Rebuild Story, The National Museum of Computing, retrieved 13 May 2017
  4. ^ a b c Campbell-Kelly, Martin (31 August 2011), "Tony Sale obituary", The Guardian, retrieved 31 August 2011
  5. ^ . The Daily Telegraph. 22 November 2010. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
  6. ^ a b "A walk of fame for George the robot". BBC News. BBC. 17 November 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  7. ^ a b "Computer conservationist Sale dies". BBC News.
  8. ^ The Colossus Gallery, The National Museum of Computing, retrieved 13 May 2017
  9. ^ a b c Tony Sale. "Tony Sale CV". codesandciphers.org.uk. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  10. ^ "Tony Sale on the regeneration of Bletchley Park". Open University. Retrieved 23 November 2010.
  11. ^ p. 150, Colossus: the secrets of Bletchley Park's code-breaking computers, B. Jack Copeland, Oxford University Press, 2006, ISBN 0-19-284055-X Google Books
  12. ^ Jagger's at breaking point over code, Henry Fitzherbert, Daily Express, 26 August 2001
  13. ^ Sale, Tony (2004) [1998], The Colossus Computer 1943–1996 and how it helped to break the German Lorenz cipher in WWII, Cleobury Mortimer: M & M Baldwin, ISBN 0-947712-36-4 – A slender (20-page) booklet
  14. ^ Sale, Tony, The Colossus its purpose and operation
  15. ^ "coltalk_2". codesandciphers.org.uk.
  16. ^ Nicolle, Lindsay, Whizkids no match for wartime wizards, The Times, 7 May 1997.
  17. ^ Minutes, Opening Meeting of the 180th Session (2000-2001), RSSA official site
  18. ^ "Welcome to the Tony Sale award web site". Computer Conservation Society. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  19. ^ "TNMOC Press Release". The National Museum Of Computing. Retrieved 17 September 2023.

External links edit

  • Tony Sale Web site
  • BBC obituary
  • CV
  • Obituary of Tony Sale, The Guardian, 31 August 2011
  • Obituary of Tony Sale, The Daily Telegraph, 1 September 2011
  • British Computing Society obituary

December 02, 2023
tony, sale, anthony, edgar, tony, sale, fbcs, january, 1931, august, 2011, british, electronic, engineer, computer, programmer, computer, hardware, engineer, historian, computing, construction, fully, functional, mark, colossus, computer, between, 1993, 2008, . Anthony Edgar Tony Sale FBCS 30 January 1931 28 August 2011 was a British electronic engineer computer programmer computer hardware engineer and historian of computing He led the construction of a fully functional Mark 2 Colossus computer between 1993 and 2008 1 2 The rebuild is exhibited at The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park in England 3 Tony Sale with the rebuilt Colossus computerA team led by Tony Sale began a reconstruction of a Colossus computer at The National Museum of Computing Contents 1 Life 2 Work 3 Honours 4 References 5 External linksLife editHe was educated at Dulwich College in south London 4 During his adolescence he built George the robot out of Meccano and continued working on it until it reached a fourth version in 1949 when it was given much media coverage 5 6 Sale joined the Royal Air Force in 1949 serving until 1952 During his three years in the RAF Sale gained a commission and reached the rank of Flying Officer He was an instructor at RAF Officers Radar School at RAF Debden 6 Sale worked as an engineer for MI5 under Peter Wright in the 1950s 4 Between 1992 and 2007 Sale and volunteers rebuilt a functioning replica of the Colossus computer Mark II which is on display at The National Museum of Computing at Bletchley Park 7 8 Sale and his wife Margaret had three children and seven grandchildren Margaret continued as a volunteer guide at the museum for many years after Tony s death Work editSale worked with Marconi Research Laboratories was Technical Director of the British Computer Society and managed the Computer Restoration Project at the Science Museum 9 After becoming interested in computers he joined the British Computer Society BCS in 1965 as Associate Member being elected to Member in 1967 Fellow in 1988 and Honorary Fellow in 1996 He was elected to the Council of the BCS for the period 1967 70 In 1965 was a founder member of the Bedfordshire branch of the BCS and was named Chairman in 1979 9 In 1989 Sale was appointed a senior curator at the Science Museum in London and worked with Doron Swade to restore some of the museum s computer holdings 4 He was part of the group that started the Computer Conservation Society in 1989 and was associated with the Bletchley Park Trust from 1992 onwards 10 In 1991 he joined the campaign to save Bletchley Park from housing development In 1992 he was Secretary to the newly formed Bletchley Park Trust later unpaid Museums Director in 1994 9 In 1993 he started the Colossus Rebuild Project inaugurated in 1994 11 to build a functioning replica of the Colossus computer developed and built by Tommy Flowers at the Post Office Research Station at Dollis Hill in 1943 Sale lectured on wartime code breaking in the UK Europe and the US He was technical adviser for the 2001 film Enigma 12 Sale s web site Codes and Ciphers in the Second World War is a source of information on aspects of World War II code breaking His booklet Colossus 1943 1996 13 outlines the breaking of the German Lorenz cipher and his remarkable rebuilding of the Colossus computer nbsp Front view of the Colossus rebuild showing from right to left 1 The bedstead containing the message tape in its continuous loop and with a second one loaded 2 The J rack containing the Selection Panel and Plug Panel 3 The K rack with the large Q switch panel and sloping patch panel 4 The double S rack containing the control panel and above the image of a postage stamp five two line counter displays 5 The electric typewriter in front of the five sets of four set total decade switches in the C rack 14 15 Honours editAs a result of his Colossus rebuild work 7 Sale was awarded the Comdex IT Personality of the Year for 1997 16 He also received the 2000 Royal Scottish Society of Arts Silver Medal 17 After his death the British Computer Conservation Society established in 2012 the Tony Sale Award for Computer Conservation and Restoration It comprises a trophy and a travel bursary 18 In September 2019 Sale was posthumously awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the National Museum of Computing 19 References edit Sale Tony Video of Tony Sale talking about rebuilt Colossus 2008 6 19 Retrieved 13 May 2017 Tony Sale obituary The Guardian 31 August 2011 Colossus The Rebuild Story The National Museum of Computing retrieved 13 May 2017 a b c Campbell Kelly Martin 31 August 2011 Tony Sale obituary The Guardian retrieved 31 August 2011 Robot George early humanoid revived after 45 years The Daily Telegraph 22 November 2010 Archived from the original on 24 November 2010 Retrieved 26 November 2010 a b A walk of fame for George the robot BBC News BBC 17 November 2010 Retrieved 30 August 2011 a b Computer conservationist Sale dies BBC News The Colossus Gallery The National Museum of Computing retrieved 13 May 2017 a b c Tony Sale Tony Sale CV codesandciphers org uk Retrieved 31 August 2011 Tony Sale on the regeneration of Bletchley Park Open University Retrieved 23 November 2010 p 150 Colossus the secrets of Bletchley Park s code breaking computers B Jack Copeland Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0 19 284055 X Google Books Jagger s at breaking point over code Henry Fitzherbert Daily Express 26 August 2001 Sale Tony 2004 1998 The Colossus Computer 1943 1996 and how it helped to break the German Lorenz cipher in WWII Cleobury Mortimer M amp M Baldwin ISBN 0 947712 36 4 A slender 20 page booklet Sale Tony The Colossus its purpose and operation coltalk 2 codesandciphers org uk Nicolle Lindsay Whizkids no match for wartime wizards The Times 7 May 1997 Minutes Opening Meeting of the 180th Session 2000 2001 RSSA official site Welcome to the Tony Sale award web site Computer Conservation Society Retrieved 12 October 2012 TNMOC Press Release The National Museum Of Computing Retrieved 17 September 2023 External links editTony Sale Web site BBC obituary CV Obituary of Tony Sale The Guardian 31 August 2011 Obituary of Tony Sale The Daily Telegraph 1 September 2011 British Computing Society obituary Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tony Sale amp oldid 1184353976, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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