Official documents detailing World War Two code-breaker Alan Turing’s convictions of homosexual acts have gone on display for the first time.

One of the documents shows the mathematician admitted “acts of gross indecency” at a trial in 1952, before undergoing chemical castration.

Turing’s conviction meant he lost his security clearance and was forced to stop work at Bletchley Park.Aged just 41, he was found dead from cyanide poisoning in 1954 with a half-eaten apple by his side. An inquiry concluded that it was suicide.

In 2013, Alan Turing was given a posthumous royal pardon after an official apology by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, prompted by a campaign led by former MP John Leech.

The files, which will go on display at Chester Town Hall, have been warmly welcomed by the architect of Alan Turing’s pardon, Cllr. John Leech, who said: “I really hope this will go some way to highlighting just how absurd the conviction was, and how rightly deserved the pardon is.

“This is an important public service that I think will help generations to come understand the significance of Turing’s life.
“It’s a great contribution to LGBTQ+ history”.

It was in Manchester, in 1952, that Turing was arrested for having sex with another man, whilst much of his ground-breaking scientific work was conducted at the University of Manchester. Today, mathematics students at the university attend lectures in the building proudly bearing his name.

It is predicted that Turing’s work saved the lives of an estimated 14 to 21 million, shortening the war by two to four years.

The files will be on display until 9 October at Chester Town Hall.

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