BBC Two Viewers Vote Alan Turing Ultimate Icon Of The 20th Century

Published on: 8 Feb, 2019
Updated on: 23 Jun, 2019

Alan Turing, the ‘father of modern computing’ and who had a strong connection with Guildford, has been voted by BBC Two viewers as their ultimate icon of the 20th century.

Alan Turing in the 1950s. All images reproduced from Paul Backhouse’s book Alan Turing Guildford’s best kept secret, published in 2016.

The BBC has reported the result was announced live from Indigo at the O2 on Tuesday (February 5) by finale hosts Claudia Winkleman and Nick Robinson.

In accepting the award, Alan Turing’s niece, Inagh Payne, said: “On behalf of the Turing family I’d like to thank you so much for voting for my uncle, it’s such an honour. I’ve got such fond memories of my uncle, when he used to come and visit my family and all the things we used to do together, thank you so much again it’s wonderful.”

During the final show, all seven celebrity advocates from the series, Sir Trevor McDonald, Dermot O’Leary, Chris Packham, Kathleen Turner, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Clare Balding and Lily Cole called on the public to vote for their finalist.

Chris Packham said: “Alan Turing’s genius brought Britain back from the brink during World War Two. While he was punished for being different, his work celebrated diversity. Under the circumstances, that makes him truly iconic.”

The BBC has said that it has been its most ambitious history series in a decade. Icons told the story of a century of unprecedented change. In seven films, the seven celebrity advocates each explored a different field of extraordinary endeavour. The 28 shortlisted icons were narrowed down to just seven finalists by the public vote.

Alan Turing was in contention with finalists Nelson Mandela (leaders), Ernest Shackleton (explorers), David Bowie (entertainers), Dr Martin Luther King Jnr (activists), Muhammad Ali (sports stars) and Pablo Picasso (artists and writers) for the honour.

Paul Backhouse from Guildford has researched Alan Turing and his family and their connections with Guildford. These have been published in his 2016 book Alan Turing Guildford’s best kept secret.

Here, Paul gives a synopsis of the family in Guildford:

Alan Turing pictured in the garden of his parents’ house in Ennismore Avenue.

Alan Turing lived with his family in Guildford, when he was teenager and into his early twenties. These were the formative years of his life.

After his work took him to other parts of the country, he frequently visited the town to see his mother and brother’s family.

Blue plaque on the house in Ennismore Avenue, Guildford, where the Turing family lived.

Alan’s family home was in Ennismore Avenue, off London Road. They had briefly rented a house in Dene Road, opposite today’s G Live, when they first moved to Guildford.

Alan and his family loved walking on the Surrey countryside.

Members of the Turing family were members of Merrow Golf Club. There is a record of Alan playing a round of golf there with his mother during a summer vacation from Cambridge University.

Alan (pictured left) at the wedding of his brother John and Joan Humphreys in 1934.

When Alan’s brother got married in 1934. Alan was best man at the wedding, which took place at St John’s Church, Stoke Road. The reception was held at the bride’s family home in Ganghill.

The newly married couple settled in Jenner Road. They had three daughters and Alan was a regular visitor to see his nieces. While working in Teddington in the late 1940s, he often ran the whole way there, sending on a change of clothes in the post.

Alan Turing running. Picture copyright of Julia M. Turing.

Mrs Turing regularly worshipped at St Nicolas Church. During the Second World War, on a break from his code-breaking work at Bletchley Park, he attended a service there with his whole family and Joan Clark, who was his fiancée for a brief period.

After her husband’s death in 1947, Mrs Turing bought a house in South Hill, near Guildford Castle. Alan often stayed here. This is where he first told her that he had been arrested for a gay relationship.

The last time that Alan visited Guildford was at Christmas 1953 – just six months before his death.

Paul Backhouse’s guided walks about Alan Turing and his family are taking place this summer on: Thursday, June 13, at 2pm; Sunday, June 23, at 2pm; and Thursday, July 11, at 7pm.

The walks are free but booking is essential at www.visitguildford.com or contact the Tourist Information Centre 01483 444334 or e-mail tic@guildford.gov.uk