The invention of the ‘Baby’ computer

Witness History

In June 1948, the ‘Baby’ was invented. It was the first stored-program computer, meaning it was the first machine to work like the ones we have today.

It was developed in England at the University of Manchester.

The computer was huge, it filled a room that was nearly six metres square. The team who made it are now recognised as the pioneers of modern computing.

Gill Kearsley has been looking through the archives to find out more about the 'Baby'.

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(Photo: Freddie Williams and Tom Kilburn, the inventors of the Baby shown programming the Manchester Mk 1 computer. Credit: The University of Manchester)