Douglas Comish, British computing pioneer, dies aged 97

Doug was instrumental in the early days of the computer industry

My one-time boss and long-time friend, Douglas (Doug) Comish who has died aged 97, was one of that select group of people in the UK who were the first in the world to pioneer the application of computers to business.

He was a Liverpudlian, ruddy of complexion with a pugnacious, direct in-your-face manner. Looking somewhat like a prize fighter, he concealed a powerful intellect - which many people learnt to their cost when negotiating with him.

Born in Liverpool in March 1926 to John Comish, a salesman, and Mona Isabel (nee Moore), a housewife, and of Isle of Man heritage, he read Maths at Kings College Cambridge followed by National Service in the Army, where he finished with the rank of Captain.

He was an active sportsman, playing football for Cambridge University, and also a keen cricketer. In later years, he was an ardent enthusiast for playing golf.

On completing his National Service, he joined the J Lyons company in 1949 as a management trainee. He rapidly rose to management rank in the Lyons Work Office as cost accountant, and from there to the Statistics Office, managing a team responsible for the cost accounts of a group of Lyons departments.

Doug had made a most fortuitous choice in the company he had joined. J Lyons & Co was famous for its over 150 teashops and, in addition, its Corner House restaurants. The Board of Lyons recognised that the ever-growing army of clerks helping to administer the business was costly and potentially an unsustainable way of running the business.

Furthermore, office equipment manufacturers at the time did not have any viable solution.

So, with the support of academics at Cambridge, who had developed an electronic computer for technical computations called EDSAC, Lyons put together a team to develop what was to become LEO (Lyons Electronic Office). LEO I was to become the first electronic computer in the world to perform large complex business applications. On the 15th February 1951 H.R.H Princess Elizabeth visited the Lyons Head Office to see the LEO I running through its initial paces.

Such was the interest being shown by other companies in what Lyons was doing that the Board decided to set up a subsidiary, Leo Computers Ltd, to build, market and sell electronic computers. Doug was selected to join the team at Leo Computers in 1956.

There followed a long and distinguished career with him undertaking many roles in the evolving British computer industry. He battled his way through many company mergers and takeovers, intensely loyal to the team of people he had built, ensuring that they were justly dealt with in the turbulent times that company mergers often create.

Ultimately these mergers ended in 1968 with the creation of the sole British computer manufacturer ICL, which was the combination of seven previously independent British computer companies.

At ICL he played a crucial senior role in many areas including international sales, product development, manufacturing and project managing the successful acquisition of the Singer Computer Company. He undertook a major trouble shooting assignment before retiring from ICL in 1986.

He married Mary, nee Morgan, in 1971, who died in 2004. He is survived by his partner, Sylvia Morris, his stepchildren Martin, Carol, and Michael from his former wife Mary, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

John Douglas (Doug) Comish, b. 23 March 1926, d. 12 July 2023.