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New Alan Turing £50 note has entered circulation today
The University of Manchester icon has been honoured on his 109th birthday
The new £50 banknote emblazoned with famed mathematician and computer pioneer, Alan Turning has begun circulating today on what would have been his 109th birthday.
The work of Alan Turing is widely credited to accelerating Allied efforts to read German messages enciphered with the Enigma machine – this work is said to have been key to shortening the second world war and saving countless lives.
He also played a pivotal role in the early development of computers – after the second world war, Turing was based at the University of Manchester, where he worked as a mathematician, computer scientist, codebreaker and linguist.
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Yet despite his remarkable achievements, as a gay man Turing was prosecuted for gross indecency in 1952, at a time when homosexuality was illegal in the UK.
An inquest concluded his death from cyanide poisoning two years later was suicide. After a long-fought campaign, he was posthumously pardoned by The Queen in 2013.
And now, to commemorate his memory and legacy further, Turing will be gracing the front cover of the new £50 note.
The striking design of the note – which is the final bank note to switch to polymer – was unveiled by the Bank of England back in March, where it was met with a very warm reception by the British public.
Speaking on the importance of the new £50, Jeremy Fleming, Director of Britain’s intelligence agency GCHQ, said: “Alan Turing’s appearance on the £50 note is a landmark moment in our history.
“Not only is it a celebration of his scientific genius which helped to shorten the war and influence the technology we still use today, it also confirms his status as one of the most iconic LGBT+ figures in the world.
“His legacy is a reminder of the value of embracing all aspects of diversity, but also the work we still need to do to become truly inclusive.”
Paper £50 notes will still be accepted in shops until October next year – the Bank of England’s own counter can also swap any old notes for their face value.