| Ladybird, The Computer and the M.O.D. |
The Computer from the Ladybird 'How it Works' series 654 is quite a common title in it's standard trade edition. But this edition is rumoured to have also been printed privately for the Ministry of Defence in 1972.
For years many collectors believed this book to be a myth as no one appears to have ever seen a copy, but after getting in touch with Douglas Keen, long-serving Editorial Director of Ladybird Books, it's existance was verified.
In an interview with Mr Keen we asked:
"Can you remember if ‘The Computer’ was privately published for the Ministry of Defence in the early 70s? – this has been rumoured to exist within Ladybird collecting circles but nobody seems to own, or have seen a copy – can you shed any light?"
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| The original Ladybird trade edition |
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Mr Keen Replied:
"The Computer was originally produced as part of the How it Works series; it was seen as a useful aid by the MoD for introducing their staff to computers at that time – it was a simplified definition of how a computer works. Approximately 100 copies were sent to the Ministry of Defence. The same goes for How it Works – The Motor Car. Thames Valley police took a large number of them when police were seen less on-the-beat and had started having patrol cars instead."
See
the full interview with Douglas Keen >
The M.O.D originally asked Ladybird if they could produce the 100 copies in plain covers and without copyright info but Ladybird refused as the print run was too small.br>
Some collectors doubt the existence of this book and although we have never seen a copy, we have spoken to an ex-employee of Ladybird who confirmed it's printing and kindly gave us the information above.
In our exhaustive search for this title the M.O.D. did spare the time to have a look at their library archive but came up with nothing. Although this was not exactly a state of National Security, they did say that it is possible that the book still existed as their archive only included books. They suggested that 'our title' could have been considered a training pamphlet which would not belong in their database.
It's known that The Computer Ladybird book was part of the standard induction course reading for trainee ICL salesmen! Ladybird books are still going strong, whereas ICL is now part of Fujitsu.Was Dave Swindell the
source of the rumour?In the late 1970s David Swindell was a lecturer with CM(Trg)ADP - Civilian Management (Training) Automatic Data Processing - a branch of the Procurement Executive of the Ministry of Defence. When he arrived in 1977 their support material was limited in nature, so David set about improving it, and amongst other things he suggested using the Ladybird book, 'The Computer'.
David's boss was a bit dubious, but he agreed to him making enquiries, and he wrote the fateful letter to Ladybird, saying he felt it would be "incongruous to give a children's book to senior Civil Servants", and asking if they would produce a special, limited run "in a plain cover, or at least without the Ladybird logo" Ladybird replied saying they had enough orders in the standard cover, and politely refused. David's department didn't push the matter but decided to use the standard edition anyway - so the tale should have ended there.
But . . .
Within months the story found its way into the computer press and national newspapers, with comments that were quite obviously based on the letter David had written and Ladybird's reply.
As David remembers it, the newspaper articles were presented in a humourous vein, reporting that the Ministry of Defence was "using a children's book to teach senior civil servants about computers", they didn't state that Ladybird had actually produced a special edition in plain covers, though the implication might have been drawn.
And that is where the myth began.
Read more
comments and analysis about 'The Computer' myth on David Swindell's website >
If you have information relating to this absent title then we would love to hear from you!!
| Article
from 2007-01-14 |
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Article
REF 157 |
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| Random
fact |
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Ladybird illustrator John Berry designed various advertising campaigns including the creation of the ESSO (Exxon) Tiger in 1951. |
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