Do You Have Memories Of The Turing Family In Guildford?

Published on: 24 Oct, 2015
Updated on: 29 Oct, 2015

Alan Turing is widely regarded as the father of modern computing. He also made a highly significant contribution to the breaking of German codes during the Second World War. Less well known is that he lived in Guildford as a boy and regularly visited the town to see his family right up until his early death.

The call now goes out for anyone who may be able to supply further details and snippets of information relating to the Turing family while they lived in Guildford.

Alan Turing with members of his family.

The Guildford Town Guides launched a new and popular walk this summer about Alan Turing.

The town guide who developed the walk is Paul Backhouse. He said: “I have spent many hours of research, including meeting with members of Alan’s family.

“We suspect though there are still more stories out there about Alan and his family’s time in Guildford. We are keen to collect further recollections. Sometimes they may be thought of as ‘trivia’  – we welcome that because it deepens our understanding and interest.”

This picture of Alan Turing was almost certainly taken in North Street, Guildford.

Alan’s parents, Julius and Ethel Sara Turing, originally lived in Ennismore Avenue and Ethel later lived in South Hill and Waterden Road.

She was passionate about art as well as languages and attended Guildford Technical College in her later years to study both.

She regularly worshipped at St Nicolas’ Church. She died in 1976.

Alan’s brother, John, lived in the town with his family until the early 1960s – firstly in Jenner Road and then West Road.

He married Joan Humphreys at St John’s Church, Stoke-next-Guildford in 1934, with Alan acting as best man.

John was a successful City lawyer, commuting daily from London Road station.

If you have any memories, either first hand or passed down to you, about Alan Turing and his family in Guildford, please send Paul an e-mail to paulbackhouse@btinternet.com or alternatively write to Turing Research, c/o The Tourist Information Centre, 155, High Street, Guildford GU1 3AJ.

Click here for a previous story about Alan Turing published on The Guildford Dragon NEWS.

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