Turing in primary school, BBC.
Alan Turing
never forget
Beginning
Childhood and Early Life
Turing, born in London, England, in 1912, developed a lifelong passion for research due to his interest in mathematics and science. From ages six to nine, he attended St. Michael's primary school.
"[St. Michaels] had clever boys and hardworking boys, but Alan is a genius."
- St. Michael's headmistress
"As a kid, [Turing] he constantly sought to discover basic concepts and apply them. Having learned at school how to get the square root of a particular number, he reasoned for himself how to get the cube root."
- Sara Turing, Alan Turing's mother
Turing and friends, The Telegraph.
Despite his interests, Turing did not receive recognition or respect from his teachers at Sherborne School, a boarding school he began attending at age 13.
“I hope he [Turing] will not fall between two stools. If he is to stay at public school, he must aim at becoming educated. If he is to be solely a Scientific Specialist, he is wasting his time at a public school.”
- Sherborne School Headmaster
Turing at Sherborne School, The Old Shirburnian Society.
A Close Friend
Turing quickly became friends with a fellow student, Christopher Morcom, and their close relationship inspired Turing to become more sociable and to work harder in school. Unfortunately, Morcom tragically passed away in 1930, leaving Turing deeply affected.
Morcom at Sherborne School, The Old Shirburnian Society.
“Dear Mrs Morcom. I want to say how sorry I am about Chris. My most vivid recollections of him are almost entirely of the kind things he said to me sometimes... I should be grateful if you could find me sometime a little snapshot of Chris to remind me of his example and of his efforts to make me careful and neat. I shall miss his face and the way he used to smile at me sideways.”
- Alan Turing, letter to Morcom's mother
Morcom's influence on Turing was long-lasting, even after his passing. To honor him, Turing enrolled at King's College in 1931.
King's College Chapel, University of Cambridge.