Cambridge History of Innovation Project (CHIP)
Documenting the ‘Cambridge Phenomenon’
The 'Cambridge Phenomenon' refers to the dramatic growth of technological innovation and entrepreneurship in Cambridge since the 1960s.
The Cambridge History of Innovation Project (CHIP) is curating a public archive to document Cambridge's technology innovation from the 1960s to the present. The purpose is to support research and storytelling about Cambridge innovation for a range of audiences.
The CHIP archive includes new oral history recordings as well as records including paper, audio-visual and digital which document social, business, and technical aspects of Cambridge technology culture.
Visitors examine the Cambridge History of Innovation Project archives. Photograph by Blazej Mikula.
Visitors examine the Cambridge History of Innovation Project archives. Photograph by Blazej Mikula.
Innovation is everywhere in Cambridge, but where is its archive?
CHIP is based at Cambridge University Library, where the archives of Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Stephen Hawking are kept.
The Library also holds the archive of the Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company, one of Cambridge’s earliest technology companies. Collecting of scientific archives has traditionally focused on individual scientists in academic settings, with fewer publicly accessible sources on commercial innovation. The Cambridge History of Innovation Project collects archives and oral histories to document the history of science and technology innovation in technology companies and entrepreneurial settings.
45 Years of the Cambridge Phenomenon
CHIP recently hosted a major event at the Cambridge University Library to celebrate 45 years of the Cambridge Phenomenon. The Cambridge Tech Podcast by Faye Holland and James Parton interviewed attendees resulting in this episode: https://www.cambridgetechpodcast.com/post/shownotes118
Why an archive of Cambridge innovation?
Consultation with members of the Cambridge technology community reveals the needs being met by the CHIP archive. In their own words:
Save our cultural heritage
I no longer hold any of the original drawings.
—Microchip company co-founder. Cambridge innovations have helped to make the modern world. Without preservation, the original records of these innovations could be lost forever. By preserving archives now, we prevent the risk of loss of future histories.
Preserve the evidence of scientific discovery
I want my records to be archived in a public repository as evidence of what we did.
—Biotechnology company co-founder. When scientists cannot publish due to commercial sensitivity, archiving is a way of demonstrating scientific credit in the long term.
Provide sources for engaging and evidence-based stories
A lack of sources about the experience of technology innovation, providing personal insight and multiple perspectives is a barrier to writing histories.
— Printing and Computer Aided Design company co-founders. Archival and oral history sources, which become less sensitive over time, provide rich and nuanced accounts.
Outputs
Scoping Survey Results:
During 2023-2024, CHIP conducted an archival scoping survey to find out what historical records have survived.
This survey found that significant archives of Cambridge innovation exist, though most remain inaccessible to researchers.
We contacted and surveyed over 140 stakeholders to find out about their experiences and archives, uncovering novel archival materials from more than 40 technology companies, as well as large collections already in existing repositories which remain uncatalogued.
We also surveyed existing oral history collections and identified key individuals integral to the Cambridge Phenomenon who have not previously been interviewed. These results revealed the urgent need for collection of archival documentation and oral history interviews.
Current Outputs:
CHIP’s focus in 2024-2025 is therefore to conduct oral history interviews and collect novel archives.
Longer term, CHIP aims to develop research and impact activities using the archive in collaboration with researchers and practitioners from different disciplines through publications, online resources, an exhibition, events, and opportunities for graduate research.
Oral History Interviews:
CHIP is conducting oral history interviews with leading figures in the technology sector, whose stories may otherwise go undocumented. Oral History is a powerful technique to capture the memories and lived experience of innovation in Cambridge.
Interviews have already been completed with founders David Southward (Cambridge Consultants Ltd), Sir Robin Saxby (ARM), Jamie Urquhart (ARM) Peter Cowley (Camdata), Peter Woodsford (Laser-Scan), Harren Jhoti (Astex Pharmaceuticals), Ed Hoskins (Applied Research of Cambridge), Barbara Sahakian and Trevor Robbins (CANTAB), Kate and John Grant (Nine Tiles), and others.
Many more interviews are on the way!
Sir Robin Saxby oral history interview with Peter Rees. Photograph by Peter Rees.
Sir Robin Saxby oral history interview with Peter Rees. Photograph by Peter Rees.
Collection of Documentary Archives:
CHIP has already accessioned 18 novel archival collections. These materials are committed to permanent preservation in the Cambridge University Library.
These new archives include the papers relating to Cambridge Silicon Radio (donated by Glenn Collinson), Solexa (donated by Sir David Klenerman), Swiftkey (donated by Ben Medlock), Laser-Scan (donated by Peter Woodsford), Astex Pharmaceuticals (donated by Harren Jhoti), Applied Research of Cambridge (donated by Ed Hoskins and Paul Richens and Masanori Nagashima), Barclay’s (donated by Matthew Bullock), and relating to Cambridge Enterprise (donated by Richard Jennings), the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (donated by Shai Vyakarnam), and research materials relating to The Cambridge Phenomenon books (donated by Kate Kirk), and many others.
A CHIP archival display including original brochure for the Cambridge Science Park. Photograph by Peter Rees.
A CHIP archival display including original brochure for the Cambridge Science Park. Photograph by Peter Rees.
Project team
The project is advised by a group consisting of eminent members of the Cambridge technology community, researchers, archivists, and curators.
This Advisory Group is Chaired by Matthew Bullock (St Edmunds College, ex-Barclays Bank), and includes Sir David Klenerman (Department of Chemistry, founder of Solexa) Sir Gregory Winter (Trinity College Cambridge, founder of Humira), Pamela Raspe, Richard Jennings (ex-Cambridge Enterprise), David Gill (ex-St John’s Innovation Centre), Walter Herriot (ex-St John’s Innovation Centre), Jane Hutchins (Director of Cambridge Science Park), Kate Kirk (author of Cambridge Phenomenon books), Yupar Myint (Head of Impulse at the Maxwell Centre), Stuart Hogarth (Department of Sociology and Deputy Director of Centre for Research in Arts and Social Sciences), Robert Doubleday (Director of Cambridge Centre for Science Policy), Alan Akeroyd (Cambridgeshire County Archivist), Lisa McGerty (CEO, Centre for Computing History), Josh Nall (Department of History and Philosophy of Science, and Director of the Whipple Museum), Alistair Sponsel (historian of science at Tufts University and Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory).
Kate Kirk donates records relating to the Cambridge Phenomenon books to the CHIP archive at the University Library. CHIP Advisory Group meeting, 19th January 2024. Photograph by Mark Box.
Kate Kirk donates records relating to the Cambridge Phenomenon books to the CHIP archive at the University Library. CHIP Advisory Group meeting, 19th January 2024. Photograph by Mark Box.
For direct contact email the Project Archivist,
Peter Rees (pr381@cam.ac.uk).
The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
Collection items featured:
Promotional material for the Stereoscan II, Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company Archive, Box 50, Cambridge University Library. The first commercial scanning electron microscopes delivered in 1964 were produced by the Cambridge Instrument Company, building on research and development in the Cambridge University Engineering Laboratory.
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