Hoskyns Archives - Archives of IT

Gerald Marsh

Gerald’s introduction to IT was via the Control Data Institute (CDI) and an intensive course in computer operating called TOPS, covering IBM and ICL mainframes. He went straight to working with Ferranti computer systems in Cwmbran as a computer operator on military grade systems, then to work at Plessey Defence Systems as a software engineer.During his work as a contractor, Gerald worked with DEC systems and was a part of the Digital Equipment Company User Group (DECUS).

21 March 2025

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson’s name has been familiar to huge numbers of software designers and developers for many years, from the mid-1970s onward, and he’s a pioneer, some would say a radical pioneer, in the field of software design and development. He published five books between 1975 and 2001, and has written numerous papers over the years.

21 February 2019

Ray Harsant

Having qualified as a Chartered Accountant in London, Ray spent some time working in South America. In the late 60s Ray joined Hoskyns initially as Company Secretary then in 1972 he was promoted to the position of Financial Director. Hoskyns became a market leader in computer services in the UK and a premier software consultancy in Europe. Ray spent 25 years there.

18 September 2018

John Pearce

John Pearce created the backbone of methods used by the successful Hoskyns Systems and became a key mover in the mid-1970s National Enterprise Board (NEB). He started in the IT sector by helping Joseph Lucas install its first computer and develop applications for it. He trained himself as a systems analyst before joining IBM in 1960 to help IBM introduce new concepts to existing customers

14 July 2017

Geoff Unwin

Geoff Unwin helped build CapGemini into a world-leading computer services company after running Hoskyns, who he was recruited by in 1968 to work on problems for customers using time sharing computers. He turned CapGemini into an integrated global consultancy. Geoff pioneered the use of Indian programmers to develop systems off shore.