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The Atlas Years: Jim Hailstone

To select some topics about the Atlas Computer Laboratory is a difficult task, but not I think as daunting as the task Jack said he faced when he had to sign a requisition for the Atlas at £3.2 million. In 1961, Jack became Director of the Atlas Computer Laboratory under the auspices of the National Institute for Research in Nuclear Science.

We started from a greenfield site between AERE and the Rutherford High Energy Laboratory, so there was a period of 3 years which saw the building erected and plans laid for the installation of Atlas I, the largest of the three machines that were built by Ferranti.

Jim Hailstone

Jim Hailstone

Jack influenced the building and the environment strongly insisting on, among other things:

Turning now to another aspect of Jack's interest, he was always aware of the unrivalled provision of statistics from the Atlas machine - at that time no other machine provided such a wealth of information about its performance. Jack was a long standing fellow of the Royal Statistical Society and encouraged the use of this vital information in bringing the machine to a high level of performance.

The impact of the Atlas Computer Laboratory on scientific research in the UK in the late 1960s was significant. Practically all the Universities participated in the use of the machine and an early development of some disciplines was made possible. For example, the Met Office made extensive use for building a forecasting model which forms the basis of present day models. The crystallographic community was strongly supported by Jack, and under his direction a strong team was built up (Bob Churchhouse will discuss this further).

NERC was encouraged to start looking at their vast collection of data and some help was given to enable them to begin the setting up of what we now call databases. The chemists were starting to look at the possibilities of Computational Chemistry which has now achieved a recognised status.

The use of the machine for large scale statistical surveys is exemplified by the use made of the facilities by Richard Peto and Malcolm Pike in their study of cancer cigarette smoking. This led Malcolm Pike to develop a cine film using the SC 4020 microfilm recorder, showing the progress of the first recognised human cancer virus across West Africa.

Finally, Jack always encouraged his staff to continue learning; a large number of the young staff attended courses in Computer Studies, Mathematics and Statistics. the shut-down days were taken up with some interesting talks from experts in many fields, for example IGS gave a series of lectures on the local geology.

He made sure that no member of staff was neglected and made a special effort to visit those working on night shift before they left at about 8 o'clock in the morning. They were kept informed of the developments that were planned or approved. Thus he created a real sense of commitment throughout all the staff.

I want to end with three comments which I think convey the spirit of Jack's Laboratory:

  1. A young girl of 17, a member of the Data Preparation section, remarked I do like working here - when I wake on Monday morning I can't wait to be here.
  2. A research worker from Oxford said As soon as I stepped through the door I knew this was a happy place, and moreover there is a golden thread which runs right through the building to the Director.
  3. David Hartley, former Director of the Computing Service at Cambridge, who wrote regretting he could not be here today: I remember Jack with great affection. I feel I am one of the very many whose career has benefitted from his influence and assistance. In my own case, he was involved in my appointment as Director of the University Computing Service at Cambridge, following which he sent me a very touching letter, which I still keep. He was a lovely man.
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