Charles Babbage (26 December 1791 – 18 October 1871) was an English mathematician, analytical philosopher, mechanical engineer and (proto-) computer scientist who originated the idea of a programmable computer. Parts of his uncompleted mechanisms are on display in the London Science Museum. In 1991, working from Babbage's original plans, a difference engine was completed, and functioned perfectly. It was built to tolerances achievable in the 19th century, indicating that Babbage's machine would have worked. Nine years later, the Science Museum completed the printer Babbage had designed for the difference engine; it featured astonishing complexity for a 19th century device.

Birth

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Charles Babbage was born in England, most likely at 44 Crosby Row, Walworth Road, London. A blue plaque on the junction of Larcom Street and Walworth Road commemorates the event. There was a discrepancy regarding the date of Babbage's birth, which was published in The Times obituary as 26 December 1792. However, days later a nephew of Babbage wrote to say that Babbage was born precisely one year earlier, in 1791. The parish register of St. Mary's Newington, London, shows that Babbage was baptised on 6 January 1792 ^*.

Babbage's father, Benjamin Babbage, was a banking partner of the Praeds who owned the Bitton Estate in Teignmouth. His mother was Betsy Plumleigh Babbage. In 1808, the Babbage family moved into the old Rowdens house in East Teignmouth, and Benjamin Babbage became a warden of the nearby St. Michael’s Church.

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Farewell, fake facebook. You were instrumental in supplying my application addictions with further horribleness. RIP Charles Babbage.
madeintw (Jerome) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:14:55 -0000
Farewell, fake facebook. You were instrumental in supplying my application addictions with further horribleness. RIP Charles Babbage.
@Condawg Well Gutenburg invented the Printing Press and that was revolutionary and Charles Babbage made the first computer and stuff...
conorreid (Conor Reid) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 09:05:09 -0000
@Condawg Well Gutenburg invented the Printing Press and that was revolutionary and Charles Babbage made the first computer and stuff...
"I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." - Charles Babbage /via bit.ly/90SUV0
calebegg (Caleb Eggensperger) Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:38:32 -0000
"I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." - Charles Babbage /via bit.ly/90SUV0
Charles Babbage was a particularly virulent enemy of the organ grinders.
briantunney (Brian Tunney) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:05:53 -0000
Charles Babbage was a particularly virulent enemy of the organ grinders.
Now here's a quote from 1857 "Another age must be the judge,"- Charles Babbage, invented a computer that can play chess.http://bit.ly/bvNKg
johnlshea (john shea) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:08:07 -0000
Now here's a quote from 1857 "Another age must be the judge,"- Charles Babbage, invented a computer that can play chess.http://bit.ly/bvNKg
Apple Mac, PCs and Charles Babbage http://bit.ly/7XLbry via @AddToAny
Amazing_People (Amazing People Club) Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:22:04 -0000
Apple Mac, PCs and Charles Babbage http://bit.ly/7XLbry via @AddToAny

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