Leslie Comrie
Encyclopedia
Leslie John Comrie was an astronomer
and a pioneer in mechanical computation.
(south of Auckland
), New Zealand
, on 15 August 1893.
He attended Auckland University College (part of the University of New Zealand
) from 1912 to 1916, graduating with BA and MA degrees with Honours in Chemistry
. During World War I
, despite severe deafness, he saw action in France with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force
, and lost his left leg in February 1918 to a British shell. While convalescing he started using a mechanical calculator
and went on to modify commercial calculators for specific projects.
Comrie was the first director (1920–1922) of the Computing Section of the British Astronomical Association
. In 1923 he received a PhD from St John's College
of the University of Cambridge
. He traveled to the USA to teach at Swarthmore College
and then Northwestern University
in 1924 where he pioneered the teaching of numerical analysis
. He returned to England
to join HM Nautical Almanac Office
at the Royal Greenwich Observatory where he became deputy superintendent in 1926.
In April 1928 his article On the Construction of Tables by Interpolation described the use of punched card
equipment for interpolating
tables of data, comparing this with the less efficient and more error-prone methods using mechanical devices such as the pinwheel calculator
s under the Brunsviga brand name. Also in 1928, he was the first to use punched card equipment for scientific calculations, using Fourier synthesis
to compute the principal terms in the motion of the Moon
for 1935 to 2000 improving the predictions of Ernest William Brown
.
Wallace J. Eckert, an American student of Brown at Columbia University
would in turn use the vast resources of IBM
corporation to improve on the predictions even further.
He was promoted to Superintendent of the Nautical Almanac Office in 1930. However, his unconventional use of machines for calculation caused tensions with his superiors, and he was suspended in August 1936.
Comrie founded the world's first private company for scientific computing, incorporated as Scientific Computing Service, Limited in 1937.
During World War II
he headed a team of 30 scientists to computerise war work, such as the creation of bombing tables for the Allies of World War II
.
Later he computerised British football pools.
After the war Comrie visited the USA and New Zealand in 1948.
Comrie was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
of London
in March 1950.
He is also remembered for his work in astronomy, publishing both scientific and poplar articles on subjects from predicting eclipse
s to the green flash
. He died aged 57 on 11 December 1950 after a series of strokes. A lunar crater (23.3N 112.7W) and an asteroid
, 3521 Comrie
, bear his name, as does the computer lab at his alma mater, the University of Auckland, named on the 50th anniversary of his death.
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
and a pioneer in mechanical computation.
Life
Leslie John Comrie was born in PukekohePukekohe
Pukekohe is a town in the Auckland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located at the southern edge of the Auckland Region, it is approximately 50 kilometres south of Auckland City, between the southern shore of the Manukau Harbour and the mouth of the Waikato River. The hills of Pukekohe...
(south of Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
), New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, on 15 August 1893.
He attended Auckland University College (part of the University of New Zealand
University of New Zealand
The University of New Zealand was the New Zealand university from 1870 to 1961. It was the sole New Zealand university, having a federal structure embracing several constituent colleges at various locations around New Zealand...
) from 1912 to 1916, graduating with BA and MA degrees with Honours in Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, despite severe deafness, he saw action in France with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force
New Zealand Expeditionary Force
The New Zealand Expeditionary Force was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight for Britain during World War I and World War II. Ultimately, the NZEF of World War I was known as the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force...
, and lost his left leg in February 1918 to a British shell. While convalescing he started using a mechanical calculator
Mechanical calculator
A mechanical calculator is a device used to perform the basic operations of arithmetic. Mechanical calculators are comparable in size to small desktop computers and have been rendered obsolete by the advent of the electronic calculator....
and went on to modify commercial calculators for specific projects.
Comrie was the first director (1920–1922) of the Computing Section of the British Astronomical Association
British Astronomical Association
The British Astronomical Association is the senior national association of amateur astronomers in the UK.-Function:It encourages observational astronomy by non-professionals in areas which cannot be covered by professional observatories...
. In 1923 he received a PhD from St John's College
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
of the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. He traveled to the USA to teach at Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college in the United States with an enrollment of about 1,500 students. The college is located in the borough of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia....
and then Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in 1924 where he pioneered the teaching of numerical analysis
Numerical analysis
Numerical analysis is the study of algorithms that use numerical approximation for the problems of mathematical analysis ....
. He returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to join HM Nautical Almanac Office
HM Nautical Almanac Office
Her Majesty's Nautical Almanac Office , now part of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, was established in 1832 on the site of the Royal Greenwich Observatory , where the Nautical Almanac had been published since 1767...
at the Royal Greenwich Observatory where he became deputy superintendent in 1926.
In April 1928 his article On the Construction of Tables by Interpolation described the use of punched card
Punched card
A punched card, punch card, IBM card, or Hollerith card is a piece of stiff paper that contains digital information represented by the presence or absence of holes in predefined positions...
equipment for interpolating
Interpolation
In the mathematical field of numerical analysis, interpolation is a method of constructing new data points within the range of a discrete set of known data points....
tables of data, comparing this with the less efficient and more error-prone methods using mechanical devices such as the pinwheel calculator
Pinwheel calculator
A Pinwheel calculator was a class of mechanical calculator popular in the 19th and 20th century using, for its calculating engine, a set of wheels that had an adjustable number of teeth...
s under the Brunsviga brand name. Also in 1928, he was the first to use punched card equipment for scientific calculations, using Fourier synthesis
Fourier transform
In mathematics, Fourier analysis is a subject area which grew from the study of Fourier series. The subject began with the study of the way general functions may be represented by sums of simpler trigonometric functions...
to compute the principal terms in the motion of the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
for 1935 to 2000 improving the predictions of Ernest William Brown
Ernest William Brown
Ernest William Brown FRS was a British mathematician and astronomer, who spent the majority of his career working in the United States....
.
Wallace J. Eckert, an American student of Brown at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
would in turn use the vast resources of IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
corporation to improve on the predictions even further.
He was promoted to Superintendent of the Nautical Almanac Office in 1930. However, his unconventional use of machines for calculation caused tensions with his superiors, and he was suspended in August 1936.
Comrie founded the world's first private company for scientific computing, incorporated as Scientific Computing Service, Limited in 1937.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he headed a team of 30 scientists to computerise war work, such as the creation of bombing tables for the Allies of World War II
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
.
Later he computerised British football pools.
After the war Comrie visited the USA and New Zealand in 1948.
Comrie was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in March 1950.
He is also remembered for his work in astronomy, publishing both scientific and poplar articles on subjects from predicting eclipse
Eclipse
An eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when an astronomical object is temporarily obscured, either by passing into the shadow of another body or by having another body pass between it and the viewer...
s to the green flash
Green flash
Green flashes and green rays are optical phenomena that occur shortly after sunset or before sunrise, when a green spot is visible, usually for no more than a second or two, above the sun, or it may resemble a green ray shooting up from the sunset point. Green flashes are a group of phenomena...
. He died aged 57 on 11 December 1950 after a series of strokes. A lunar crater (23.3N 112.7W) and an asteroid
Asteroid
Asteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
, 3521 Comrie
3521 Comrie
3521 Comrie is a main-belt asteroid discovered on June 26, 1982 by Alan C. Gilmore and Pamela M. Kilmartin at Mount John.- External links :*...
, bear his name, as does the computer lab at his alma mater, the University of Auckland, named on the 50th anniversary of his death.
External links
(includes photographs, references, bibliography, and publication list)- Recording of an interview with Comrie titled Mathematics in war on radio station 1YA on 5 April 1948 (MP3MP3MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
format) - Extract from Peter Isaac's Computing in New Zealand p64