Archives of IT
@archivesofit.bsky.social
UK Charity capturing the stories of tech pioneers & inspiring future #STEM leaders. Online archive of oral history interviews with tech leaders from 1950s to today & free computing curriculum resources for teachers.
#HistTech #EduSky #TeamCompSci #CSed
#HistTech #EduSky #TeamCompSci #CSed
Our Education Lead, Ravi Chagger, selected Sir Robin Saxby, ARM's founding CEO and a strong supporter of AIT's educational efforts, from a decade of interviews. Find out why 👇
November 10, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Our Education Lead, Ravi Chagger, selected Sir Robin Saxby, ARM's founding CEO and a strong supporter of AIT's educational efforts, from a decade of interviews. Find out why 👇
For our 10th birthday, Trustee Bill Dutton shares his favourite interview from our archives, our most popular, the trailblazing Dame Stephanie ‘Steve’ Shirley 🎙️
November 7, 2025 at 9:32 AM
For our 10th birthday, Trustee Bill Dutton shares his favourite interview from our archives, our most popular, the trailblazing Dame Stephanie ‘Steve’ Shirley 🎙️
We are 10! 🎂
To celebrate we will be sharing our favourite oral history interviews throughout November. Here Chairman John Carrington introduces his. What would your favourite be?
To celebrate we will be sharing our favourite oral history interviews throughout November. Here Chairman John Carrington introduces his. What would your favourite be?
November 6, 2025 at 9:01 AM
We are 10! 🎂
To celebrate we will be sharing our favourite oral history interviews throughout November. Here Chairman John Carrington introduces his. What would your favourite be?
To celebrate we will be sharing our favourite oral history interviews throughout November. Here Chairman John Carrington introduces his. What would your favourite be?
Happy History Day! 🥳
If you are wondering how we can help you with your tech research project, look no further 👀
@senatehouselib.bsky.social
@ihr.bsky.social
#HistDay25
If you are wondering how we can help you with your tech research project, look no further 👀
@senatehouselib.bsky.social
@ihr.bsky.social
#HistDay25
November 4, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Happy History Day! 🥳
If you are wondering how we can help you with your tech research project, look no further 👀
@senatehouselib.bsky.social
@ihr.bsky.social
#HistDay25
If you are wondering how we can help you with your tech research project, look no further 👀
@senatehouselib.bsky.social
@ihr.bsky.social
#HistDay25
English Electric's Stafford site was a key UK tech hub in the mid-20th century. Acquired by GEC in 1968 and Alstom in 1989, it was bought and demolished by General Electric in 2015, now replaced by housing. Photo: Express & Star Newspapers, Wolverhampton Archives.
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 12:04 PM
English Electric's Stafford site was a key UK tech hub in the mid-20th century. Acquired by GEC in 1968 and Alstom in 1989, it was bought and demolished by General Electric in 2015, now replaced by housing. Photo: Express & Star Newspapers, Wolverhampton Archives.
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
⚡ Ferranti's Greater Manchester factory produced transformers and meters from 1905, playing a key role in the establishment of the National Grid. Despite having international clients, their Transformer Division closed in 1975. Photo: @sciencemuseum.org.uk.
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
October 27, 2025 at 11:03 AM
⚡ Ferranti's Greater Manchester factory produced transformers and meters from 1905, playing a key role in the establishment of the National Grid. Despite having international clients, their Transformer Division closed in 1975. Photo: @sciencemuseum.org.uk.
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
Marconi established the UK's first radio factory in Chelmsford, Essex in 1912 and later set up research labs in Great Baddow in 1939. This Essex Record Office photo shows the labs camouflaged, taken for the Home Office ARP in November 1939, two months into WWII. @exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
October 25, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Marconi established the UK's first radio factory in Chelmsford, Essex in 1912 and later set up research labs in Great Baddow in 1939. This Essex Record Office photo shows the labs camouflaged, taken for the Home Office ARP in November 1939, two months into WWII. @exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
🌓 Professor Sir Martin Sweeting, Queen Elizabeth II, and UoSAT-12 at Surrey Satellite Technology in 1999.
The UoSAT-12 mission highlighted innovations like imaging cameras and internet expansion to space. Its 'Firsts' include capturing a lunar eclipse in 2000.
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
The UoSAT-12 mission highlighted innovations like imaging cameras and internet expansion to space. Its 'Firsts' include capturing a lunar eclipse in 2000.
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
October 22, 2025 at 2:07 PM
🌓 Professor Sir Martin Sweeting, Queen Elizabeth II, and UoSAT-12 at Surrey Satellite Technology in 1999.
The UoSAT-12 mission highlighted innovations like imaging cameras and internet expansion to space. Its 'Firsts' include capturing a lunar eclipse in 2000.
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
The UoSAT-12 mission highlighted innovations like imaging cameras and internet expansion to space. Its 'Firsts' include capturing a lunar eclipse in 2000.
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
📡 Jodrell Bank's MKII radio telescope, made by Ferranti was the first telescope of any type in the world to be controlled by a digital computer, the Ferranti Argus 100.
1966 Photograph thanks to @sciencemuseum.org.uk Collection Online. (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
1966 Photograph thanks to @sciencemuseum.org.uk Collection Online. (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
October 17, 2025 at 3:13 PM
📡 Jodrell Bank's MKII radio telescope, made by Ferranti was the first telescope of any type in the world to be controlled by a digital computer, the Ferranti Argus 100.
1966 Photograph thanks to @sciencemuseum.org.uk Collection Online. (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
1966 Photograph thanks to @sciencemuseum.org.uk Collection Online. (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
English mathematician Ada Lovelace, is celebrated as the first computer programmer. @adalovelaceday.bsky.social honours women's STEM achievements in her memory. We've created a free educational lesson plan archivesit.org.uk/lesson-plans.... Engraving courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery.
October 14, 2025 at 10:05 AM
English mathematician Ada Lovelace, is celebrated as the first computer programmer. @adalovelaceday.bsky.social honours women's STEM achievements in her memory. We've created a free educational lesson plan archivesit.org.uk/lesson-plans.... Engraving courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery.
Fancy a brew? ☕ An employee at Birmingham tech firm Deltacam Systems uses CAD software to design a jug kettle. The PC monitor is by US company SiliconGraphics. Deltacam Systems was based in Aston Park in the 1990s. Photo courtesy of Express & Star Photo Archives at Wolverhampton Archives.
October 10, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Fancy a brew? ☕ An employee at Birmingham tech firm Deltacam Systems uses CAD software to design a jug kettle. The PC monitor is by US company SiliconGraphics. Deltacam Systems was based in Aston Park in the 1990s. Photo courtesy of Express & Star Photo Archives at Wolverhampton Archives.
Happy 60th Birthday BT tower, inaugurated by British PM Harold Wilson on this day in 1965, the tallest UK building until 1980. Here our Chairman John Carrington, poses for a photo on the roof of his office in Howland Street, 1984. He was the first MD of BT Cellnet.
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
October 8, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Happy 60th Birthday BT tower, inaugurated by British PM Harold Wilson on this day in 1965, the tallest UK building until 1980. Here our Chairman John Carrington, poses for a photo on the roof of his office in Howland Street, 1984. He was the first MD of BT Cellnet.
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
🍰 LEO (Lyons Electronic Office) was the first computer used for business, developed by UK firm J. Lyons & Co Ltd, known for tea shops and cakes. They needed to automate their payroll, marking the beginning of computers in business. Photo courtesy of the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick.
October 6, 2025 at 2:16 PM
🍰 LEO (Lyons Electronic Office) was the first computer used for business, developed by UK firm J. Lyons & Co Ltd, known for tea shops and cakes. They needed to automate their payroll, marking the beginning of computers in business. Photo courtesy of the Modern Records Centre, University of Warwick.
⚡English Electric's London HQ in Aldwych housed two bronze giants, 'Power' and 'Speed,' by Sir Charles Wheeler. Sold to an American bank in 1971, they were returned as 'unacceptable' due to their realism. Now at Eltham College. Photo: Express & Star Newspapers, Wolverhampton Archives. #EYAMonsters
October 1, 2025 at 1:57 PM
⚡English Electric's London HQ in Aldwych housed two bronze giants, 'Power' and 'Speed,' by Sir Charles Wheeler. Sold to an American bank in 1971, they were returned as 'unacceptable' due to their realism. Now at Eltham College. Photo: Express & Star Newspapers, Wolverhampton Archives. #EYAMonsters
💽 Ferranti was a key UK electrical engineering firm, known for defence electronics, power grids, and the Ferranti Mark 1, the first commercial computer. It had training schools where apprentices wore brown dust-coats. Photo courtesy of Science Museum Group Collection Online. #EYAEducation
September 26, 2025 at 2:05 PM
💽 Ferranti was a key UK electrical engineering firm, known for defence electronics, power grids, and the Ferranti Mark 1, the first commercial computer. It had training schools where apprentices wore brown dust-coats. Photo courtesy of Science Museum Group Collection Online. #EYAEducation
People working in the warehouse at Digital, Galway Ireland, packaging computer hardware for delivery to customers.
American tech firm Digital (or DEC as it was also known) operated a factory in Galway which ran from 1971-1993.
Image thanks to Digital Galway 💻
American tech firm Digital (or DEC as it was also known) operated a factory in Galway which ran from 1971-1993.
Image thanks to Digital Galway 💻
September 23, 2025 at 10:28 AM
People working in the warehouse at Digital, Galway Ireland, packaging computer hardware for delivery to customers.
American tech firm Digital (or DEC as it was also known) operated a factory in Galway which ran from 1971-1993.
Image thanks to Digital Galway 💻
American tech firm Digital (or DEC as it was also known) operated a factory in Galway which ran from 1971-1993.
Image thanks to Digital Galway 💻
September is the month of education @exploreyourarchive.bsky.social and what better time to share the *free* teaching resources we have for you to use in the classroom, assembly or home education setting 👨🏫
#EYAEducation
#EYAEducation
September 22, 2025 at 12:41 PM
September is the month of education @exploreyourarchive.bsky.social and what better time to share the *free* teaching resources we have for you to use in the classroom, assembly or home education setting 👨🏫
#EYAEducation
#EYAEducation
Professor Sir Martin Sweeting preparing UoSAT-2 for thermal vacuum testing in 1983 🛰️
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
September 22, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Professor Sir Martin Sweeting preparing UoSAT-2 for thermal vacuum testing in 1983 🛰️
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
@exploreyourarchive.bsky.social
📢🎓Primary teachers!
👀 Check out our primary Computing Curriculum resources - now including complete lesson plans for Year 1 through 6, as well as themed whole school activities.
All designed to be user-friendly and freely available for teachers 👉 bit.ly/4gkHSg4
#CSEd #EduSky #TeamCompSci #STEM
👀 Check out our primary Computing Curriculum resources - now including complete lesson plans for Year 1 through 6, as well as themed whole school activities.
All designed to be user-friendly and freely available for teachers 👉 bit.ly/4gkHSg4
#CSEd #EduSky #TeamCompSci #STEM
September 10, 2025 at 8:25 AM
📢🎓Primary teachers!
👀 Check out our primary Computing Curriculum resources - now including complete lesson plans for Year 1 through 6, as well as themed whole school activities.
All designed to be user-friendly and freely available for teachers 👉 bit.ly/4gkHSg4
#CSEd #EduSky #TeamCompSci #STEM
👀 Check out our primary Computing Curriculum resources - now including complete lesson plans for Year 1 through 6, as well as themed whole school activities.
All designed to be user-friendly and freely available for teachers 👉 bit.ly/4gkHSg4
#CSEd #EduSky #TeamCompSci #STEM
🤔 What advice would you give a young person starting out in the tech industry today?
At Archives of IT, we are grateful to the many inspirational tech leaders who have shared their advice with young people as they look back on their own careers in conversation with us... see the archive for more!
At Archives of IT, we are grateful to the many inspirational tech leaders who have shared their advice with young people as they look back on their own careers in conversation with us... see the archive for more!
September 2, 2025 at 1:06 PM
🤔 What advice would you give a young person starting out in the tech industry today?
At Archives of IT, we are grateful to the many inspirational tech leaders who have shared their advice with young people as they look back on their own careers in conversation with us... see the archive for more!
At Archives of IT, we are grateful to the many inspirational tech leaders who have shared their advice with young people as they look back on their own careers in conversation with us... see the archive for more!
💡For History Day North, find out how we can help you with your research project on the history of IT, telecommunications and computing.
See our showcase exhibitions.london.ac.uk/s/history-da...
@ihr.bsky.social
@senatehouselib.bsky.social
#DCDC25
See our showcase exhibitions.london.ac.uk/s/history-da...
@ihr.bsky.social
@senatehouselib.bsky.social
#DCDC25
July 25, 2025 at 12:33 PM
💡For History Day North, find out how we can help you with your research project on the history of IT, telecommunications and computing.
See our showcase exhibitions.london.ac.uk/s/history-da...
@ihr.bsky.social
@senatehouselib.bsky.social
#DCDC25
See our showcase exhibitions.london.ac.uk/s/history-da...
@ihr.bsky.social
@senatehouselib.bsky.social
#DCDC25
Only a week to go until #HistDayNorth 2025!
We can't wait to showcase our collection of oral history interviews with tech pioneers to more students, researchers & budding historians.
Check out this video from last year for an introduction to our archive & start exploring: bit.ly/40yqLRo.
#DCDC25
We can't wait to showcase our collection of oral history interviews with tech pioneers to more students, researchers & budding historians.
Check out this video from last year for an introduction to our archive & start exploring: bit.ly/40yqLRo.
#DCDC25
July 22, 2025 at 1:48 PM
Only a week to go until #HistDayNorth 2025!
We can't wait to showcase our collection of oral history interviews with tech pioneers to more students, researchers & budding historians.
Check out this video from last year for an introduction to our archive & start exploring: bit.ly/40yqLRo.
#DCDC25
We can't wait to showcase our collection of oral history interviews with tech pioneers to more students, researchers & budding historians.
Check out this video from last year for an introduction to our archive & start exploring: bit.ly/40yqLRo.
#DCDC25
Last month, AIT CEO Tola Sargeant had the privilege of sitting down with a true #spacetech pioneer, Professor Sir Martin Sweeting at Surrey Satellite Technology, to hear his inspiring story.
Follow the link to our website, or subscribe to our YouTube channel, to watch the interview 👉 bit.ly/45fi9l6
Follow the link to our website, or subscribe to our YouTube channel, to watch the interview 👉 bit.ly/45fi9l6
July 21, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Last month, AIT CEO Tola Sargeant had the privilege of sitting down with a true #spacetech pioneer, Professor Sir Martin Sweeting at Surrey Satellite Technology, to hear his inspiring story.
Follow the link to our website, or subscribe to our YouTube channel, to watch the interview 👉 bit.ly/45fi9l6
Follow the link to our website, or subscribe to our YouTube channel, to watch the interview 👉 bit.ly/45fi9l6
We are delighted to share a personal story on the mobile phone revolution from founding MD of Cellnet John Carrington.
Here, John takes us back to the late 1980s when he was part of delegations that secured a pan-European agreement on a mobile network standard.
👉 archivesit.org.uk/blog-2/the-m...
Here, John takes us back to the late 1980s when he was part of delegations that secured a pan-European agreement on a mobile network standard.
👉 archivesit.org.uk/blog-2/the-m...
July 16, 2025 at 3:05 PM
We are delighted to share a personal story on the mobile phone revolution from founding MD of Cellnet John Carrington.
Here, John takes us back to the late 1980s when he was part of delegations that secured a pan-European agreement on a mobile network standard.
👉 archivesit.org.uk/blog-2/the-m...
Here, John takes us back to the late 1980s when he was part of delegations that secured a pan-European agreement on a mobile network standard.
👉 archivesit.org.uk/blog-2/the-m...
📢 Calling all teachers & parents... looking for a summer activity for 7-11 year-olds that is tech-related but doesn't involve screen time?
Download our free 'Summer of Stories & Discovery' activity booklet & encourage your young people to take on the summer reading challenge! 📚 🙌
bit.ly/46G9OrT
Download our free 'Summer of Stories & Discovery' activity booklet & encourage your young people to take on the summer reading challenge! 📚 🙌
bit.ly/46G9OrT
July 14, 2025 at 9:02 AM
📢 Calling all teachers & parents... looking for a summer activity for 7-11 year-olds that is tech-related but doesn't involve screen time?
Download our free 'Summer of Stories & Discovery' activity booklet & encourage your young people to take on the summer reading challenge! 📚 🙌
bit.ly/46G9OrT
Download our free 'Summer of Stories & Discovery' activity booklet & encourage your young people to take on the summer reading challenge! 📚 🙌
bit.ly/46G9OrT