Alan Turing - Guildford's Best Kept Secret
By Paul Backhouse
Acorns History Group 3 March 2026
Acorns History Group 3 March 2026
Alan Turing is renowned as the father of modern computing. Also for his contribution to the development of AI and code breaking achievements during the Second World War. Perhaps less known is that Guildford was his family home. He lived in the town as a boy and continued to visit family members there throughout his life.
Paul will tell the stories and locations associated with Alan Turing and Guildford - the man behind the genius and why Guildford was such an important part of his relatively short life.
Paul Backhouse is a Guildford Town Guide, who developed the popular Alan Turing walking tour. Following extensive research, including interviews with Turing family members and access to various archives, he published “Alan Turing - Guildford’s best kept secret” in 2016. A new updated edition came out in 2024 and there will copies available to buy after his talk.