Alan Turing: Items to be returned to UK from US

Alan Turing: Stolen items to be returned to UK from US after decades

Items belonging to World War Two Bletchley Park code-breaker Alan Turing that were stolen from the UK decades ago are to be returned from the US.

The mathematician's miniature OBE medal is among 17 items that were taken from Dorset's Sherborne School by Julia Turing, who is no relation, in 1984.

They were found at her home in Colorado in the US in 2018.

A US civil court case launched against her has been settled out of court and the items are due to be returned.

According to US court papers and Sherborne School, Ms Turing, who legally changed her name from Julie Schwinghamer in 1988, removed the items without permission from archives given to the school in 1965 by the Turing family, in memory of the time he spent there as a pupil.

A letter sent to Turing by King George VI, presenting him with his OBE honour, Turing's Princeton University PhD certificate, school reports and photographs were among the items that were taken.

Ms Turing attempted to loan them to University of Colorado for display in 2018, claiming to be a relative of the mathematician.

After the alarm was raised, an investigation was carried out by police and the items were found at her home in Conifer.

During a court appearance in Colorado last month, Ms Turing described Turing as "a beautiful man of the finest order", adding: "He lived brightly in my heart throughout my entire life beginning at the age of between eight and nine years old."

She continued: "I am giving up my collection to be handed over to England because I do not want to keep anything from England against their will out of selfishness...

"I wish only the very best for the legacy of Alan Turing, that his belongings, I have had the privilege to be gifted and kept in my presence all these years and deeply cherished throughout my life with the very best of care that I could provide, may now... be handed over to the rest of the world to see and also admire as I did. That is my wish."