Turing's legacy honoured 100 years on from school

A century after Alan Turing first arrived at a Dorset school as a boy, a new generation of young people has gathered to explore the pioneering mathematician's legacy.

Turing was 13 when he started at Sherborne School in 1926, long before his work breaking Nazi German codes during World War Two helped change the course of history.

Now, his former school and the wider community have been exploring how his achievements helped shape modern computing and artificial intelligence (AI), and how they might inspire the next generation of innovators.

After travelling by ferry from France to Southampton in Hampshire, the young Turing faced a problem getting to Sherborne because of disruption caused by the 1926 General Strike bringing trains to a standstill.

Determined to reach his new school, he cycled more than 60 miles to Dorset, arriving a day late.

"He gained immediate notoriety for his great virtuosity in arriving here as a 13-year-old boy on his own steam," said Dr David Wild, head of computer science and director of AI development at Sherborne School.

Wild said Hollywood portrayals of Turing as an unhappy and isolated schoolboy were inaccurate.

"He was actually far less insular than a lot of people make out, he was actually well liked and he really loved his time here," he said.

However, Turing's old school reports show his extraordinary potential was not immediately obvious to his teachers, added Wild.

One report from when he was 14, said his mathematics was "not very good".

It added: "He spends a good deal of time apparently in investigations in advanced mathematics to the neglect of his elementary work. A sound ground work is essential in any subject. His work is dirty".

Wild said: "I think that that is true of a lot of young people, they still haven't discovered what they are good at."

The teacher, who said Turing inspired him to establish the school's computer science department, hopes his story will encourage today's pupils.

"The character that Alan Turing must have shown to overcome a lot of personal struggles in his life is not only testament to him as a human being but also as one of the greatest scientists that Britain has ever created," he said.

During World War Two, Turing played a crucial role in breaking encrypted German military communications at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire.

He helped develop the Bombe, a machine used by codebreakers to identify settings of the German Enigma encryption machine, providing vital intelligence to Allied forces.

"He saved between 14 and 21 million lives," said Alastair Poulain, Turing Project lead for Sherborne Schools.

He added: "He hasn't been honoured in the way he should have been and so, as a school, we are really keen to recognise him and to grow awareness and our links to him and our legacy."

Turing was a pioneer of modern computing. In 1936, he developed the concept of a theoretical machine capable of carrying out calculations by following instructions, helping lay the foundations for computer science.

After the war, he worked on designs for early electronic computers and explored whether machines could demonstrate intelligence.

In 1950, he proposed what became known as the Turing Test, which explored whether a machine could imitate human conversation convincingly enough to be mistaken for a person.

Despite his achievements, Turing faced persecution for his homosexuality, which was illegal in Britain at the time.

He was convicted under gross indecency laws in 1952 over his relationship with Arnold Murray and was subjected to hormonal treatment.

He died two years later, aged 41, in what an inquest ruled was suicide.

In 2013, Turing was given a posthumous royal pardon after an official apology by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown in 2009.

A series of events held in Sherborne to mark 100 years since he was educated in the town also highlighted plans for a centre dedicated to Turing's legacy.

The proposed attraction would combine a museum and immersive visitor experience, with facilities where young people and entrepreneurs could explore AI and other technologies.

"Our country needs a lot more scientists and technologists," said Sir Christopher Coville, who leads the Turing Project.

"We've got a changing economy and we want to make sure our young people are ready for it," he added.

Nick Burton, a trustee of the project, said fundraising had begun for the planning and design stage of the proposed centre.

"I think Alan Turing was probably the most impactful person on society and life as we live it today," he said. "The phones and devices that we use today wouldn't be possible without his thinking."

Among those supporting the project is Turing's nephew, Dermot Turing.

Speaking at a museum dedicated to his uncle's years in Sherborne, he said the project could help encourage more young people to pursue careers in technology.

He said role models could help inspire future generations and believes his uncle would have supported the idea of an educational centre.

"I'm absolutely convinced that he would be 100% behind the idea that educating people and raising awareness and raising enthusiasm about these things is really important," he said.

Just as Turing's own abilities were not immediately recognised at school, his nephew believes more should be done to identify and encourage the talents of young people today.

He said: "I think it's really important for the future of the country's tech industries that we encourage schools and students and parents to tease out the talents that their kids might have in these technical areas."