Beatrice Helen Worsley: Canada's Female
Beatrice Helen Worsley: Canada’s Female Computer Pioneer Scott M. Campbell University of Toronto When Beatrice Worsley died in 1972, Canada lost a computer pioneer and a witness to several great moments in computing history. This biography aims to provide insight into Worsley’s obscure, but remarkable and all too short, career. In the past decade, several authors have begun Oaxaca, which her grandparents had estab- to explore the history of computing in Canada. lished in the 1850s. Around 1917, the mill was A special 1994 issue (vol. 16, no. 2, April–June) destroyed by rebels, and the family moved to of the IEEE Annals of the History of Computing El Salto where Joel rose to general manager of was dedicated to the theme, and John the Rio Grande group’s CIMSA mills. Charles Vardalas’s book, The Computer Revolution in and Beatrice were home schooled by their Canada, (MIT Press, 2001) examined the devel- mother, and the children spent many years iso- opment of a Canadian computer industry. lated and physically cut off from the surround- When discussions turn to early developments ing community for general safety reasons. They at the University of Toronto, one name that fre- learned Spanish, although not fluently. quently appears is Beatrice Worsley. Although many other computer pioneers still recall her Early days quiet personality, complete accounts of her In 1929, Joel and his wife left Mexico for career and life are more disjoint. Toronto, Canada, primarily for their children’s In fact, her experiences and accomplishments education. In Toronto, Charles attended Upper were remarkable.
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