Last Updated:

2024-04-04 03:38:06

Ada Lovelace

English mathematician and writer

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English mathematician and writer

Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace, was known for her work on Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine. She recognized its applications beyond calculation. Lovelace, the only legitimate child of poet Lord Byron, promoted her interest in mathematics. She translated an article about the Analytical Engine and developed what is considered the first computer program.

Charles Babbage Alan Turing Ludwig Wittgenstein Artificial Intelligence Suffragette Leonardo da Vinci Robert Watson-Watt Computer Anne Hathaway James Clerk Maxwell

Ada Lovelace at Age 17

At the age of 17, Ada Lovelace was known as The Honourable Augusta Ada Byron. This period marked a significant time in her youth and early life.

1815-12-10

Birth of Ada Lovelace

Ada Lovelace was born on December 10, 1815.

1816-01-16

Lady Byron leaves Lord Byron

When Ada was five weeks old, her mother left Lord Byron due to his excessive drinking and womanizing. Lady Byron and her infant daughter quickly went to Lady Byron’s parents’ house.

1816-04-21

Lord Byron's separation and departure from England

Lord Byron signed the deed of separation and left England for good a few days later, amidst allegations of immoral behavior from Lady Byron. This event marked the beginning of Lovelace's infamous reputation in Victorian society.

1819

Publication of 'The Unnatural Mother'

In 1819, Ada's mother wrote a poem titled 'The Unnatural Mother,' expressing her guilt, shame, and resentment towards Ada due to her troubled marriage with Lord Byron.

1820

Ada Lovelace's Childhood

During 1820, Ada Lovelace experienced her childhood years.

1824-04-19

Lord Byron dies in the Greek War of Independence

Lord Byron, who is Ada's father, passes away while supporting the Greek War of Independence.

1828-01-01

Ada Designs a Flying Machine

On January 1, 1828, Ada Lovelace designed a flying machine.

1829-10-01

Ada Contracts Measles

On October 1, 1829, Ada Lovelace got measles and was unable to leave her bed.

1832-04-01

Ada Lovelace recovers from measles

After battling measles for the past three years, Ada finally overcomes the illness and regains her health.

1833-01-01

Ada meets Charles Babbage

In 1833, Ada Lovelace meets Charles Babbage, the inventor of the difference engine. This encounter sparks inspiration in Ada.

1833-06-05

Meeting of Augusta Ada King with Charles Babbage

On June 5, 1833, Augusta Ada King met Charles Babbage at one of his soirées. This encounter marked the beginning of a long working relationship and friendship between the two.

1834

Distinction between Mechanism and Logical Structure

Ada Lovelace distinguished between the mechanical details of computing mechanisms and the logical structure of the Analytical Engine. She highlighted the importance of understanding both aspects, recognizing that different specialists might be needed for each.

1835-07-08

Marriage of Ada Lovelace to William King

On July 8, 1835, Ada Lovelace married William King, 8th Baron King. She later became the countess of Lovelace when her husband was created an earl in 1838.

1836-05-12

Birth of Ada's first child, Byron

In May 1836, Ada Lovelace gives birth to her first child, named Byron. This event signifies a new chapter in Ada's life as a mother.

1837-09-22

Birth of Anne

In September 1837, Ada Lovelace gave birth to a daughter named Anne. Anne later became known for her role in establishing the Crabbet Arabian Stud alongside her husband Wilfrid Blunt.

1838-06-30

Ada Becomes Countess of Lovelace

On June 30, 1838, Ada Lovelace officially became the Countess of Lovelace.

1839-07-02

Birth of Ada's Third Child

On July 2, 1839, Ada Lovelace welcomed her third child, Ralph Gordon.

1841-02-27

Ada's Revelation about her Parentage

On 27 February 1841, Ada wrote to her mother revealing that she had long suspected the truth about her parentage, linking her father to Medora Leigh as well.

1842

Gambling Habit

Ada had a habit of gambling occasionally.

1843

Ada Lovelace Describes Analytical Engine Programming

In 1843, Ada Lovelace described how the Analytical Engine could be programmed in her 'Notes'.

1843-08-01

Publication of Ada's Translation and Notes

Ada Lovelace's translation and Notes on the Analytical Engine were published on August 1, 1843.

1844

Ada Lovelace's Struggle with Addiction

During the mid-1840s, Ada Lovelace faced health issues and was prescribed laudanum, a mixture of alcohol and opium, leading to addiction. She also developed a gambling habit during this challenging period.

1845

Horsley Towers

From 1845, Ada Lovelace's family's main house was Horsley Towers, built in the Tudorbethan fashion by the architect Charles Barry. It was later greatly enlarged to Lovelace's own designs.

1848

Ada Lovelace Credited for Her Work on the Analytical Engine

Although Ada Lovelace's notes on the Analytical Engine were published in 1843, she was not officially credited for her work until 1848. Her contributions to computer programming were groundbreaking and ahead of her time.

1850

The horse racing venture

Ada collaborated with Charles Babbage to create a system for predicting gambling odds on horse races, but the venture failed, leading Ada to accumulate significant debts. She resorted to pawning the family jewels to pay off her debts in her final years.

1851-08-12

Ada Lovelace asking Charles Babbage to be her executor

On 12 August 1851, while she was dying of cancer, Ada Lovelace wrote to Charles Babbage asking him to be her executor. This letter did not give him the necessary legal authority.

1852-11-10

Death of Ada Lovelace

Ada Lovelace passed away on November 10, 1852. Despite her early death, her visionary ideas and contributions to computer programming have solidified her legacy as the first computer programmer.

1852-11-27

Death of Ada Lovelace

Ada Lovelace, a mathematician and writer, passed away on November 27, 1852. She is known for her work on what is considered to be the world's first computer program.

1952

Ada Lovelace Awarded for Being the First Computer Programmer

In 1952, Ada Lovelace was awarded for her pioneering work as the first computer programmer.

1977

Childe Byron Play

Ada Lovelace is portrayed in Romulus Linney's 1977 play Childe Byron.

1980-10

Lady Lovelace and Charles Babbage

Velma R. Huskey and Harry D. Huskey wrote about Lady Lovelace and Charles Babbage in the Annals of the History of Computing in October 1980.

1980-12-10

Creation of Ada Programming Language

The computer language Ada was created on behalf of the United States Department of Defense and named after Ada Lovelace. The reference manual for the language was approved on 10 December 1980.

1981

Inauguration of Ada Lovelace Award

The Association for Women in Computing inaugurated the Ada Lovelace Award in 1981 to recognize contributions in computing.

1985

Ada: A Life and A Legacy

Dorothy Stein's book 'Ada: A Life and A Legacy' was published by MIT Press in 1985, focusing on Ada Lovelace.

1990

Controversy over Ada Lovelace's Contribution

There is controversy surrounding Ada Lovelace's role as the first computer programmer. Some argue that most programs attributed to her were actually prepared by Charles Babbage, with whom she corresponded. While she may have identified a 'bug' in one program, there is debate over her actual programming contributions.

1993

Arcadia Play

In Tom Stoppard's 1993 play Arcadia, a character apparently based on Ada Lovelace comes to understand chaos theory and theorises the second law of thermodynamics.

1996-09

Ada Byron, Lady Lovelace, an analyst and metaphysician

B.A. Toole's article in the Annals of the History of Computing in September 1996 explored Ada Byron, Lady Lovelace, as an analyst and metaphysician.

1997

Conceiving Ada Film

In the 1997 film Conceiving Ada, a computer scientist obsessed with Ada finds a way of communicating with her in the past by means of 'undying information waves'.

1998

Establishment of Lovelace Medal

The British Computer Society (BCS) established the Lovelace Medal in 1998 to honor outstanding achievements in computing.

2003-10

Lovelace & Babbage and the creation of the 1843 'notes'

John Fuegi and Jo Francis delved into Lovelace & Babbage and the creation of the 1843 'notes' in the Annals of the History of Computing in October-December 2003.

2005

Lord Byron's Novel: The Evening Land Novel

Ada Lovelace features in John Crowley's 2005 novel, Lord Byron's Novel: The Evening Land, as an unseen character whose personality is forcefully depicted in her annotations and anti-heroic efforts to archive her father's lost novel.

2009

Ada Lovelace Day

Ada Lovelace Day is an annual event celebrated on the second Tuesday of October since 2009 to raise the profile of women in science, technology, engineering, and maths.

2012-12-10

Google Doodle and blog post honoring Ada Lovelace

In 2012, a Google Doodle and blog post honored Ada Lovelace on her birthday, recognizing her contributions to the fields of science and mathematics.

2013-09-17

BBC Radio 4 Great Lives episode on Ada Lovelace

On 17 September 2013, BBC Radio 4 aired a Great Lives episode dedicated to Ada Lovelace, sponsored by TV presenter Konnie Huq, highlighting her significant role in science and mathematics.

2015-04-11

Premiere of Ada.Ada.Ada one-woman show

Ada.Ada.Ada, a one-woman show about the life and work of Ada Lovelace, premiered at the Edinburgh International Science Festival on 11 April 2015. The show aimed to promote diversity in STEM fields.

2015-10-13

Ada Lovelace Symposium at University of Oxford

The Ada Lovelace Symposium held at the University of Oxford on 13–14 October 2015, brought together experts to discuss and honor Ada Lovelace's contributions to science and technology.

2015-12-20

Ada Lovelace Bicentenary Lectures on Computability

The Ada Lovelace Bicentenary Lectures on Computability took place from 20 December 2015 to 31 January 2016 at the Israel Institute for Advanced Studies, celebrating Ada Lovelace's legacy in the field of computability.

2016-12

Forfeiture of Ada Lovelace's letter by Martin Shkreli

In December 2016, a letter written by Ada Lovelace was forfeited by Martin Shkreli to the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for unpaid taxes owed by Shkreli.

2017-03-08

Google Doodle honoring Ada Lovelace on International Women's Day

In 2017, a Google Doodle honored Ada Lovelace along with other women on International Women's Day, celebrating her legacy as a pioneering figure in the fields of science and technology.

2018-02-02

Satellogic launches ÑuSat micro-satellite in honor of Ada Lovelace

On 2 February 2018, Satellogic launched a ÑuSat micro-satellite named in honor of Ada Lovelace, contributing to advancements in Earth observation and imaging technology.

2018-07-20

Auction of the sixth copy of Sketch of the Analytical Engine

On July 20, 2018, the sixth copy of the Sketch of the Analytical Engine was sold at auction to an anonymous buyer for £95,000.

2018-10-09

National Ada Lovelace Day designated by US Senate

On 17 September 2013, Senator Ron Wyden submitted a resolution in the United States Senate to designate 9 October 2018 as National Ada Lovelace Day, recognizing her significant contributions to science and mathematics.

2019

STEM FEMMES Play

In 2019, Lovelace is a featured character in the play STEM FEMMES by Philadelphia theater company Applied Mechanics.

2020-11

Trinity College Dublin commissions bust of Ada Lovelace

In November 2020, Trinity College Dublin announced the commissioning of four new busts of women, including Ada Lovelace, to promote gender diversity and recognition of women in history.

2021

Nvidia GPU Architecture

In 2021, Lovelace was directly honored in the codename of Nvidia's new GPU architecture featured in its RTX 4000 series.

2022-03

Installation of Ada Lovelace statue in London

In March 2022, a statue of Ada Lovelace was installed at the site of the former Ergon House in London, commemorating her scientific contributions and legacy. The statue was unveiled on International Women's Day.

2022-09

Nvidia announces Ada Lovelace GPU microarchitecture

In September 2022, Nvidia announced the Ada Lovelace graphics processing unit (GPU) microarchitecture, showcasing technological advancements inspired by Ada Lovelace's legacy.

2023-07

Royal Mint issues Ada Lovelace commemorative coins

In July 2023, The UK's Royal Mint issued four commemorative £2 coins in honor of Ada Lovelace, recognizing her innovative contributions to computer science and her pioneering role as a female trailblazer.

End of the Timeline
Ada Lovelace