Babbage, Charles (1791-1871)

1: Part of a note in French containing Babbage's signature (25 June 1821);

2: Letter from Babbage to Richard Philips, [chemist and geologist], Nelson Square, about Babbage's "Mechanical notation" (18 March 1826) [Babbage, On the Laws of Mechanical Notation for Consideration, London 1851];

3: Letter from Babbage to Peacock, Devonshire Street, Portland Place, asking about English university degrees on behalf of a friend Reverend Mr Hussey (11 April 1826);

4: Letter from Babbage to ?, Devonshire Street, Portland Place, about ? intended application for the professorship of astronomy in Dublin (21 April 1827);

5: Letter from Babbage to Mr Clay, Dorset Street, about corrections of proofs (19 May 1832) [Babbage, On the Economy of Machines and Manufacture, London 1832];

6: Letter from Babbage to Sir Roderick Impey Murchison [1792-1871, geologist and geographer], explaining that he is unable to attend a meeting at the Geological Club (19 February 1833);

7: Letter from Babbage to S. Cartwright (17 December 1833);

8: Letter from Babbage to the Reverend George Peacock, Trinity College, Cambridge, [1791-1858, mathematician and university reformer] about Babbage's trip to Cambridge (25 March 1835);

9: Letter from Babbage to Bunbury (5 February 1836);

10: Letter from Babbage to Hayward [Abraham, essayist and journalist] about heating (9 May 1838);

11: Letter from Babbage to Brunel [Sir (Marc) Isambard (1769-1849), civil engineer] (14 December 1838);

12: Letter from Babbage to Arago [Dominique François Jean 1786-1853, physicist and astronomer], Secrétaire de L'Institut á Observatoire, Paris, about arrangements for Babbage's trip to Paris (7 August 1840);

13: Note from Babbage to ? about a coachman (12 August 1840);

14: Letter from Babbage to Hawes about a question Babbage wants asked in the House of Commons (March 1841 ?);

15: Note from Babbage to ? about Persian grammar and dictionary for Babbage's son (2 April 1843);

16: Letter from Babbage to Kenyon about Babbage borrowing a book on wine (2 July 1845);

17: Note from Babbage to Kenyon about an address (8 February 1846);

18: Letter from Babbage to Lubbock [Sir John William, 1803-1865, astronomer and banker], about sending Babbage's notes, Tables and Curves to Lubbock (28 September 1848);

19: Letter from Babbage to Miss Moore about being unable to accept her invitation (14 November 1849);

20: Letter from Babbage to ? about Reverend Sheepshanks' paper (20 December 1854) (probably the astronomer Richard Sheepshanks (1794-1855));

21: Letter from Babbage to Lady Hawes (19 July 1858);

22: Letter from Babbage to Mrs Grove accepting a dinner invitation (17 February 1864);

23: Note from Babbage to Miss Rogers (no date);

24: Note stating that Babbage will accept a dinner invitation (22 April no year);

25: Note stating that Babbage cannot attend dinner with Sir Richard Westmacott [1775-1856, sculptor] (27 February no year);

26: Note stating that Babbage cannot attend drinks with Mr and Mrs Garrick (24 February no year);

27: Note from Babbage stating that Babbage cannot visit Mr Erskine (9 June no year);

28: Note from Babbage accepting dinner invitation (23 July no year);

29: Note from Babbage to Murchison accepting an invitation (27 May no year);

30: Note from Babbage to a lady declining an invitation (12 March no year);

31: Part of a letter stating that "I am engaged to dine with Mr Darwin" (2 May no year);

32: Note from Babbage accepting invitation to Sir John [1803-1865, astronomer and banker]and Lady Lubbock's (10 February no year);

33: Note from Babbage to Sir John Lubbock [1803-1865, astronomer and banker], saying that he will not be able to visit Lubbock as he is working on his new engine (no date);

34: Letter from Babbage to Parkes, Mecklenburg Square, stating that Babbage with visit him (19 April 1822); attached to the letter is a newspaper death notice for Babbage (1871);

35: Note from Henry Prevost Babbage (1824-1918), Charles Babbage's son (31 January 1896);

36: Note from Babbage and address from an envelope, both mounted on card (11 May no year, and undated).

The language of the letters is English with a little French.

This material was formerly held in the Western Manuscripts Department Autograph Letter sequence.

Charles Babbage, mathematician and computer pioneer, was born on 26 December 1791, probably in London, the son of a banker. He was often unwell as a child and was educated mainly at home. By the time he went to Cambridge University in 1810 he was very interested in mathematics.

After graduation Babbage was hired by the Royal Institution to lecture on calculus. Within two years he had been elected a member of the Royal Society and, with his Cambridge friends, was instrumental in setting up the Astronomical Society in 1820, the first to challenge the dominance of the Royal Society. From 1828 to 1839, Babbage was Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge.

The 1820s saw Babbage work on his 'Difference Engine', a machine which could perform mathematical calculations. A six-wheeled model was initially constructed and demonstrated to a number of audiences. He then developed plans for a bigger, better, machine - Difference Engine 2. He also worked on another invention, the more complex Analytical Engine, a revolutionary device on which his fame as a computer pioneer now largely rests. It was intended to be able to perform any arithmetical calculation using punched cards that would deliver the instructions, as well as a memory unit to store numbers and many other fundamental components of today's computers. The remarkable British mathematician Ada Lovelace completed a program for the Analytical Engine but neither it, nor Difference Engine 2, were finished in Babbage's lifetime.

Babbage also worked in the fields of philosophy and code-breaking, as well as campaigning for reform in British science. He died at his home in London on 18 October 1871.

This information is taken from the BBC History site. Full accounts of Babbage's life and work can be found there and also in the Dictionary of National Biography.