A throwback

This morning, in the course of reminding myself what automata were, I came across the book at reference 1, an elderly introductory text to cybernetics which might serve my purposes.

Written by a psychiatrist who was based in Barnwood House in Gloucestershire at the time, then a middle sized, private psychiatric hospital on the eastern outskirts of Gloucester. Rather in the way of public mental hospitals, like those here at Epsom, now a new-build housing estate, but with the difference that the trees have been organised into an arboretum managed by the local council. Another place to check out for Wellingtonia. Perhaps these places, with their large grounds, attracted directors who were keen on gardens and trees.

Ashby was not the director, rather a Director of Research, who found time to write the present book in the margins of his day job. Hard to imagine someone combining the two activities now.

A sample of the work.

[From Flickr. 'Not the best quality, but the only photograph I have of what was the Midland shed at Gloucester. 85C closed in May 1964, so this would date sometime after that, maybe later in the year, or even into 1965']

Not to be confused with the famous Barnwood engine sheds. Perhaps now also a new-build housing estate?

References

Reference 1: An Introduction to Cybernetics – Ross Ashby – 1956.

Reference 2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnwood_House_Hospital.

Reference 3: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Ross_Ashby.