Scientists issue Bletchley Park rallying call

 

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Posted on 24 Jul 2008 at 12:20

UK computer scientists have issued a rallying call to save Bletchley Park, the iconic headquarters of Britain's code breaking efforts during world war two.

Back in May, the park's management described the site as being in "a desperate state of decay" and warned that around £1 million of funding was required just to restore the Victorian mansion which once housed the Government Code and Cypher School.

The trust which oversees the park says it is investigating other sources of cash, including the lottery, but now 100 academics, researchers and scientists have signed a letter to The Times demanding Bletchley Park be made into a national museum of computing and made financially secure.

"As a nation we cannot allow this crucial and unique piece of both British and world heritage to be neglected in this way," the letter reads. "The future of the site, buildings, resources and equipment at Bletchley Park must be preserved for future generations."

According to the scientists, the site if fundamental to the history of computing due to the creation of Collosus, the code breaking machine and forebear of modern computers.

Author: Stuart Turton