In Memory of Franz Heymann

I want to record my gratitude, on behalf of my colleagues in the Computer Centre, for the support we received from Franz for a period of more than 20 years, from the Centre’s establishment in October 1966 until I left it in September 1988.

I first met Franz in about October 1966, when the College’s Board of Computer Management first met.  In our conversation I mentioned to him that Mike Seaton had lent me the file the correspondence between the College and the University about the establishment of the Computer Centre, as a ‘College-based University facility’ – a rather new concept at the time – and, in particular, that I had found letters relating to my own appointment.  Mr Tattersall, the College’s Secretary had written to Sir Douglas Logan, the Principal, that I had been appointed and mentioned my salary.  Sir Douglas’s response was instant: “While I am pleased that you have made the appointment I think you are overpaying him”.  Interesting style, that, starting a letter with the word ‘while’.  Franz’s comment was simple: “The Principal is entitled to his opinions”.  Our next meeting was a few months later, in January 1967, when Franz and I both attended a meeting at Elliott Brothers, on developments of digital technology.  At the time our computer room was being fitted out and it happened to be underneath some toilets that were prone to unpleasant overflow problems and these had just occurred while the work was going on.  Franz greeted me with “I gather you have a computer room covered in muck” – except that he did not use the word ‘muck’ but a more direct Anglo-Saxon word.  Some of the other people at the meeting were surprised at the greeting.

Over the subsequent years we became good friends and his support was always appreciated.  He helped to steer us through College committees and in University committees, at the highest levels.  He offered guidance and good advice freely and cheerfully to all of us, not just to the Centre’s senior staff.  Much appreciated by all of us.  At the beginning this was extremely useful, we were a new and growing group, none of us knew each other at the start and we were pitchforked into a College with a long history and high expectations of what we were to provide.  I hasten to add that we received excellent support from many other members of the College, among whom I have to name two in particular, Mike Seaton and Mike Esten.  Together with Franz, these 3 went far beyond the call of duty, in offering help and friendship over many years.

Paul Samet
22 May 2005