From Cambridge to Café
Lyons tea shop along Piccadilly, London
The white and gold sign on Lyons teashops was a familiar sight to many Britons. About 200 shops sold bakery goods at a front counter and hot meals in a cafeteria.
From Cambridge to Café
Britons often visited Lyons teashops for a cup of Earl Grey and a scone. Eager for equipment to improve efficiency, Lyons visited Maurice Wilkes and offered funds to complete Cambridge University’s EDSAC computer.
The teashop chain then made a version for itself: the Lyons Electronic Office (LEO). In 1954, LEO became an independent company selling computers to others.
LEO, The Automatic Office
Chapter Menu
1. How A LEO is Built
2. Uses for LEO
3. Ford Motor Company Payroll
LEO I console
Lyons used LEO initially for “Bakery Valuation,” computing the cost of goods and profit margin. The company later added payroll, inventory, invoices, and scheduling duties. But after hours, LEO did secret ballistics calculations for the government.
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LEO II main console display tube
Operators used these displays to monitor the computer’s operation. This tube is from the third LEO II built (one of the first installed outside of Lyons). The computer was used by prominent British steelmaker Stewart & Lloyds for payroll processing.
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