Bletchley Park - Jan 16

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UrbanX

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History.
I'm not actually going to put a history here. I just cant even begin to touch on it here.

If you go onto Amazon.co.uk there are 917 books on the place.

In one sentence: It was bought in 1938 for intelligence just in case a war broke out (lucky eh?) It broke the enigma code, letting us read all of Hitler's tweets, arguably winning us the war.

Some sites, no matter what state they're in, you just instantly develop a soft spot for, this is one of them.

I have actually been in two minds about whether to post this at all - There's a load of documents you'll see at the end which I want to see preserved. By putting them online it puts them at risk of theft. But by photographing them, and sharing them I hope I preserve them in one sense. Additionally, if anyone at the Bletchley Archive Centre is reading this - I hope this report is enough encouragement for you go 20ft and rescue them. It's criminal they've been left to rot like that.

The Explore.
Explored with Ian, Jon, and Chris. After finding out our first site had been demolished only days ago, we arrived here as light broke. The rain was heavy, everything was wet. The smell of sickly sweet Relentless was punctuated only by the odour of Ralgex, healing one of our stiff backs.

As soon as we were inside we could feel the history seeping from the walls. It held all the gravitas of any other of any of the other world famous derelict icons; Battersea Power Station, The Nazi Olympic Village, Dachau, Chernobyl etc.

The peelage was just immense... Really pornographic.
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Room 117: (There was a room 101, but my photo was terrible)
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Secca pigeon:
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Individual booths, presumably for privacy:
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Rooms:
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Brick Booths: Does anyone know what would have gone into these? Computers? They had their own canopy.
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You know it's a military grade blind when it outlasts the building that it's fitted in!
It still worked too, I'll post a vid of me adjusting the slats with the pull cord!

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Peelage:
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The Paperwork:

I've said my piece about this even being here to rot at the top of the report, so won't repeat it here.

I arrived here before anyone else in the group (I'm a quick explorer, I don't spend long taking photos) but I left long after they had become bored of them.

I felt it my duty to document each and every document of every file, even if only in my own insignificant way. I photographed over 100 of the documents before I realised they were worryingly close to an open door, with the pouring rain just inches away. I stopped photographing them and began moving them file by file deeper into the safety of the building.

Each file was a staff member's personal file.

It started at their initial employment offer (usually in the early 1950's) and documented every sick day, medical records, pay rises, and eventually termination of employment letter (usually late 70's)

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Tariff Code Analysis Area - November 1976
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"The attached papers, now due for destruction... - 10th February 1971"

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Handwritten coding!

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"Budget Accounts"

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Medical records from 8th August 1954:

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New salary letter - the recipient got a salary of £8303 iIn 1979. In today's money that is equivalent to £42,629.

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16th November 1955:

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Thanks for reading:
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Awesome place well shot, really cool to see that paperwork there as well after all that time.
 
That's a great set Mr x from this very historical place..one of my favourite places I have been too.and so much history and so many memories..still can't believe pianoforte has all gone now :(
 
That's a great set Mr x from this very historical place..one of my favourite places I have been too.and so much history and so many memories..still can't believe pianoforte has all gone now :(

Thank you Sir! :)

Pianoforte always loomed heavily over the residential street leading to it. We knew something was wrong driving down the road and it having a clear, bright view at the end!
 
I enjoyed your report and pics X, it is disgusting that so much history is being left to decay, well done for moving it, The pic of the pigeon on the window frame, Nice, Thanks
 
Turing did some phenomenal work here and really changed computing as we know it. Absolutely fantastic photos. I'm so surprised those documents were still there

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Brilliant post, every picture is captivating. I really liked looking at all that documentation, I hope it can be saved somehow. The Hitler's tweets comment made me laugh too. # genocidal maniac.
 
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great set of shot's buddy, kudos for taking photo's of the documents, hopefully you can retain some history when the place inevitably gets knocked down for housing
 
great set of shot's buddy, kudos for taking photo's of the documents, hopefully you can retain some history when the place inevitably gets knocked down for housing

Cheers dude! I'm terrible with stuff like that. I can spend a day filling a hard drive just digitising all those documents!
Have you abandoned your house yet? When shall I come round with my camera? :p
 
Very nice set of pics there indeed. Sounds like you guys had a good day exploring :)
 
Cheers dude! I'm terrible with stuff like that. I can spend a day filling a hard drive just digitising all those documents!
Have you abandoned your house yet? When shall I come round with my camera? :p

not yet mate, but a builder has bought it, so you may want to come and document it before he changes it forever... i'll leave a window open for you, just mind the dog :p
 

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