December 26, 1791 Teignmouth, Devonshire, UK
October 18, 1871, London, UK
Charles Babbage
principal paperssee main text
hardware
difference machine
software
.
keyords
difference engine
analytical engine
Achievement
Charles Babbage designs the Difference Engine but the machine will never be realized. He also start plans for the Analytical engine. But it will be his son that realizes the project in part.
Biography
Charles Babbage was born in London on December 26, 1792 (3), the son of Benjamin Babbage, a London banker. As a youth Babbage was his own instructor in algebra, of which he was passionately fond, and was well-read in the continental mathematics of his day. Upon entering Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1811, he found himself far in advance of his tutors in mathematics.
With Herschel, Peacock, and others, Babbage founded the Analytical Society for promoting continental mathematics and, reforming the mathematics of Newton, then taught at the university.
In his twenties Babbage worked as a mathematician, principally in the calculus of functions. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, in 1816, and played a prominent part in the foundation of the Astronomical Society (later Royal Astronomical Society) in 1820. It was about this time that Babbage first acquired the interest in calculating machinery that became his consuming passion for the remainder of his life.
Throughout his life Babbage worked in many intellectual fields typical of his day, and made contributions that would have assured his fame irrespective of the Difference and Analytical Engines.
Prominent among his published works are:
A Comparative View of the Various Institutions for the Assurance of Lives (1826); an actuarial paper,
Table of Logarithms of the Natural Numbers from 1 to 108, 000 (1827),
Reflections on the Decline of Science in England (1830),
On the Economy of Machinery and Manufactures (1832),
Ninth Bridgewater Treatise (1837),
and the autobiographical Passages from the Life of a Philosopher (1864).
Babbage occupied the Lucasian chair of mathematics at Cambridge from 1828 to 1839. He played an important role in the establishment of the Association for the Advancement of Science and the Statistical Society (later Royal Statistical Society).
Despite his many achievements, the failure to construct his calculating machines, and in particular the failure of the government to support his work, left Babbage in his declining years a disappointed and embittered man. He died at his home in Dorset Street, London, on October 18, 1871.
Chronology
1792
Born in Teignmoth, Devonshire, UK
1810
Starts mathematical studies in Trinity College Cambridge
1814
Married Georgiana Withmore, they will have 3 sons and 1 daughter
1816
Member of the Royal Society
1819
Traveled to France with Herschel and met with important mathematicians. Gaspard de Prony will influence his later work on the D.E.
1820
Cofounder of the Astronomical Society,
Formulated the general idea of the Difference Engine
1822
Publishing of functions of the Difference Engine and first operational model of the D.E.
1823
Construction of a full scale DE
1824
First and only attempt in fundraising by creating life expectancy tables for an insurance company
1827
Babbage's father (Benjamin Babbage), his second son and his wife all died in this year.
1828
Extended Europe tour,
Appointed to a chair at the Cambridge university,
Establishment of the "Saturdaynight Society" a gathering of prominent scientists and politicians at Dorset street no. 1
1830
Second design of the Difference Engine
1832
Redesign of control mechanisms of the Difference Engine,
Publication of "On the Economy of Machinery and Manufacturers" the first book on management theories.
1833
Construction of DE ceased due to a financial based conflict between Babbage and the engineer Clement
1834-1837
The basic ideas for the Analytical Engine were formulated; later recognized as the foundations of the universal calculating machine
1836
Introduction of punched cards into the A.M.
1839
Babbage engaged into the dispute on the width of railroad tracks
1837-1840
Different designs of or changes to the A.M. were made
1840
Ada Lovelace starts to translate the public address of Luigi Menebrea on the A.E. and added notes
1846
Babbage wrote the ballet "Alethes and Iris" to get familiar with and study theater lighting.
1847
Construction work on the Analytical machine ends, but writing and explanations on the AE continued.
1848
The designs for Difference Engine No.2 were ready
1856/1857
Babbages suddenly continued the design of the Analytical Engine and started to produce experimental models of his AE
...1871
When his death occurred a model of a simple mill and printing mechanism was all that was made of this grand genius's idea of the AE
Babbage died embittered in his home in London, UK
Honors and Awards
Elected Fellow of the Royal Society - 1816
First gold medal of the Astronomical Society of London
